2. MARRIAGE AND DISTRESS BOTH MEN AND WOMEN BENEFIT MEN BENEFIT MORE SELECTION?

3. HOW TELL IF MARRIAGE BENEFITS? CAN’T JUST COMPARE MARRIED TO SINGLE SELECTION OF GOOD MENTAL HEALTH INTO MARRIAGE? MUST LOOK AT CHANGES FROM BEING SINGLE TO BEING MARRIED MUST COMPARE TO GROUP STAYING SINGLE

4. 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

5. MARRIAGE N.J. MARRY LATER THAN REST OF U.S. WOMEN 25 VS. 23; MEN 27 VS. 25 WOMEN MARRY EARLIER THAN MEN - 33% WOMEN; 20% MEN BY 24 DO BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE STILL HOLD TODAY?

6. FINDINGS

7. MARRIED HAVE BETTER MENTAL HEALTH THAN SINGLE LESS DEPRESSION FOR BOTH MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN MARRIED HAVE FAR FEWER ALC PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WOMEN NOT SELECTION

8. FINDINGS (CONT.) IMPACT OF HAVING CHILDREN ON MENTAL HEALTH YOUNG CHILDREN RAISE DISTRESS, THEN NO DIFFERENCE

9. CONCLUSIONS MARRIAGE STILL GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH GOOD FOR BOTH SEXES NOT SELECTION MOST SUPPORT FOR TRADITIONAL VIEW

11. DIVORCE ABOUT HALF OF ALL MARRIAGES END IN DIVORCE HUGE INCREASE IN 1960’S AND 1970’S; STABLE SINCE 1980

12. 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 MOST FINE AFTER TWO YEARS

13. 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

14. SELECTION DOES DISSOLUTION LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS - CAUSATION OR DOES SELECTION OF WORST MENTAL HEALTH LEAD TO DISSOLUTION?

15. RUTGERS HHDP STUDY 592 PEOPLE WHO MARRIED AT EARLIER TIME COMPARES 127 SEPARATED OR DIVORCED TO 465 MARRIED AT LATER TIME

16. IMPACT OF DIVORCE

17. 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

18. CONCLUSIONS MARITAL DISSOLUTION VERY BAD FOR MENTAL HEALTH WORSE THAN STAYING IN BAD MARRIAGE??

19. 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