Mental Health and Marital Status

Abstract

Abstract Marriage is a social institution and its effects on mental health vary across societies. In societies which emphasize marriage, being married is related to lower depression, lower anxiety, lower suicide risk, and lower substance abuse, on average. Two models explain the relationship between mental health and marital status: causation and selection. Selection models propose that healthy and socially desirable people are more likely to become and stay married. In causation models, marriage confers benefits directly to participants. Divorce and remarriage result in short‐term decreases in mental well‐being. Remarriage positively affects mental health, but less than first marriage. Never‐married and cohabiting people are emerging groups of interest, with research suggesting that effects vary by social norms and selection factors. Social support is the mechanism through which relationships affect mental health. Some caveats and potential avenues of research are also outlined.

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