Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Oct;52(10):1217-1226.
doi: 10.1007/s00127-017-1373-1. Epub 2017 Apr 4.

Long-term effects of mental disorders on marital outcomes in the National Comorbidity Survey ten-year follow-up

Ramin Mojtabai  1 , Elizabeth A Stuart  2 , Irving Hwang  3 , William W Eaton  2 , Nancy Sampson  3 , Ronald C Kessler  3
Affiliations

Long-term effects of mental disorders on marital outcomes in the National Comorbidity Survey ten-year follow-up

Ramin Mojtabai et al. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2017 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: Epidemiological research has consistently shown an association between mental disorders and marital dissolution. However, this research mostly examined the association of divorce as a risk factor for mental illness. This study prospectively examined the associations of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders with future marital dissolution and new marriages in a representative population sample.

Methods: The study used data from the National Comorbidity Survey panel study-a two-wave community epidemiological survey of 5001 participants interviewed in 1990-1992 and re-interviewed in 2001-2003. Mental disorders were ascertained with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, a fully structured instrument. Associations of baseline lifetime disorders and disorders with onset after the baseline with subsequent divorce and marriage/remarriage were examined using discrete-time survival analysis models.

Results: Mental disorders at baseline or with onset after baseline were associated with significantly greater odds of subsequent divorce among respondents who either were married at baseline or got married after baseline. Mental disorders with onset after baseline were associated with smaller odds of marriage or remarriage. Projections assuming causal effects of mental illness on marital outcomes suggest that preventing the effects of common mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders would be associated with 6.7 million fewer divorces and 3.5 million more marriages in the US population over an 11-year period.

Conclusions: Individuals with common mental disorders are at greater risk of marital dissolution and are less likely to enter new marriages. These factors contribute to the diminished social engagement and social support for individuals with these disorders. Interventions aimed at improving marital and family relationships could potentially ameliorate the effect of mental disorders on these vital social ties.

Keywords: Divorce; Epidemiology; Marital status; Mental disorders; Social consequences.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Other authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

References

    1. Mojtabai R, Stuart EA, Hwang I, Eaton WW, Sampson N, Kessler RC. Long-term effects of mental disorders on educational attainment in the National Comorbidity Survey ten-year follow-up. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 2015;50(10):1577–1591. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mojtabai R, Stuart EA, Hwang I, Susukida R, Eaton WW, Sampson N, Kessler RC. Long-term effects of mental disorders on employment in the National Comorbidity Survey ten-year follow-up. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 2015;50(11):1657–1668. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Afifi TO, Cox BJ, Enns MW. Mental health profiles among married, never-married, and separated/divorced mothers in a nationally representative sample. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 2006;41(2):122–129. - PubMed
    1. Barrett AE. Marital trajectories and mental health. J Health Soc Behav. 2000;41(4):451–464. - PubMed
    1. Breslau J, Miller E, Jin R, Sampson NA, Alonso J, Andrade LH, Bromet EJ, de Girolamo G, Demyttenaere K, Fayyad J, Fukao A, Galaon M, Gureje O, He Y, Hinkov HR, Hu C, Kovess-Masfety V, Matschinger H, Medina-Mora ME, Ormel J, Posada-Villa J, Sagar R, Scott KM, Kessler RC. A multinational study of mental disorders, marriage, and divorce. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2011;124(6):474–486. - PMC - PubMed

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources