GENDER AND MENTAL ILLNESS

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MARITAL STATUS AND MENTAL HEALTH
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I. TRADITIONAL VIEW

• MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH (FROM
  DURKHEIM)
• SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS
• INTERPERSONAL - SOCIAL SUPPORT, EMOTIONAL
  SECURITY, INTIMACY
• SOCIAL INTEGRATION - TIES TO COMMUNITY

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BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE

• ECONOMIC WELL-BEING - MARRIED EARN MORE (WOMEN
  12,000 MEN 7,000)
• HEALTH BEHAVIOR - MARRIED FEWER RISKIER
  BEHAVIORS, MORE HEALTH PROMOTIVE BEHAVIORS

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RECENT CHANGES

• 1950 MARRIED COUPLES 80 OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS
  2000 50
• PEOPLE DELAYING MARRIAGE UNTIL LATE 20S
• HUGE GROWTH OF PEOPLE LIVING ALONE NOW 26 OF
  TOTAL

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RECENT TRENDS

• 10X GROWTH OF COHABITATION SINCE 1970
• MORE CHILDREN OUT-OF-WEDLOCK - 34 IN U.S.(VS. 5
  IN 1960) 50 IN SCANDANAVIA
• HUGE GROWTH OF DIVORCE IN 1960s-1970s, STABLE
  SINCE THEN
• MARRIAGE WEAKENING?

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II. BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE DATED

• CHANGES IN SOCIAL NORMS
• STAYING SINGLE AND GETTING DIVORCED NOT
  STIGMATIZED
• RISE OF COHABITATION
• FREEDOM AND AUTONOMY

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III. FEMINIST VIEW

• ADVANTAGES ONLY FOR MEN
• MARRIAGE SOURCE OF OPPRESSION FOR WOMEN
• ROLE OVERLOAD
• CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

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THREE QUESTIONS

• HOW IS MARRIAGE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH?
• HOW IS DIVORCE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH?
• ARE MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE DIFFERENT FOR MEN AND
  WOMEN?

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EVIDENCE
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MARRIAGE AND DISTRESS

• BOTH MEN AND WOMEN BENEFIT
• MEN BENEFIT MORE
• SELECTION?

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RUTGERS HHDP STUDY (HORWITZ AND WHITE)

• LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF 1300 REPRESENTATIVE NEW
  JERSEY ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS
• FIVE SURVEYS IN 1980, 1983, 1986, 1993, 1998
• STARTED AT AGES 12, 15, AND 18
• NOW ARE AGES 36 - 42

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FINDINGS (RUTGERS STUDY)
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FINDINGS

• MARRIED BETTER MENTAL HEALTH
• LESS DEPRESSION FOR BOTH MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN
• MARRIED HAVE FAR FEWER ALC PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY
  WOMEN
• SINGLE WOMEN MOST DEPRESSED
• SINGLE MEN MOST ALCOHOL PROB.

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CONCLUSIONS

• MARRIAGE STILL GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH
• GOOD FOR BOTH SEXES
• NOT SELECTION
• MOST SUPPORT FOR TRADITIONAL VIEW

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MARITAL DISSOLUTION
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MARITAL DISSOLUTION

• SEP/DIV HAVE HIGHEST RATE OF ALL MENTAL
  DISORDERS, SUICIDE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG PROBLEMS,
  MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
• SEPARATION MORE DISTRESSING THAN DIVORCE
• DIVORCE OFTEN STRESS RELIEF

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WHY IS DISSOLUTION SO HARMFUL?

• CONFLICT AND TURMOIL
• SELF-CONCEPTION
• SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS/ SUPPORT
• ECONOMIC DETERIORATION
• CHANGE IN LIVING CONDITIONS
• CHILDREN
• ALL HAPPENING AT SAME TIME

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SELECTION

• DOES DISSOLUTION LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
  CAUSATION?
• OR DOES SELECTION OF WORST MENTAL HEALTH LEAD TO
  DISSOLUTION?

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IMPACT OF DISSOLUTION (RUTGERS HHDP)
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FINDINGS

• DISSOLUTION LEADS TO MORE DEPRESSION AND ALC.
  PROBLEMS
• MORE DEPRESSION AND ALCOHOL PROBLEMS FOR BOTH
  WOMEN AND MEN
• HARMFUL IMPACT OF DISSOLUTION SAME FOR MEN AND
  WOMEN
• NOT SELECTION

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CONCLUSIONS FOR MARITAL DISSOLUTION

• DISSOLUTION VERY BAD FOR MENTAL HEALTH
• WORSE THAN STAYING IN BAD MARRIAGE??

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CONCLUSIONS

• MENTALLY HEALTHY TO GET AND STAY MARRIED FOR BOTH
  SEXES
• MARITAL DISSOLUTION ESPECIALLY BAD FOR BOTH SEXES
• IMPLICATIONS BAD - MORE PEOPLE REMAINING
  UNMARRIED, MARRY LATER, GET DIVORCED