Marriage and Mental Health among Young Adults

Uecker, Jeremy E. (2012). Marriage and Mental Health among Young Adults. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 53(1), 67-83. PMCID: PMC3390929

Reference Type:
Journal Article

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Author(s):
Uecker, Jeremy E.

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Year Published:
2012

Date Published:

Journal Name:
Journal of Health and Social Behavior

Volume Number:
53

Issue Number:
1

Start Page Number:
67-83

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ISSN/ISBN:

DOI:
10.1177/0022146511419206

PMCID:
PMC3390929

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Reference ID:
5288

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Abstract:

Marriage is widely thought to confer mental health benefits, but little is known about how this apparent benefit may vary across the life course. Early marriage, which is nonnormative, could have no, or even negative, mental health consequences for young adults. Using survey data from waves 1 and 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 11,695), I find that married young adults exhibit levels of psychological distress that are similar to those of young adults in any kind of romantic relationship. Married and engaged young adults also report lower frequency of drunkenness than those who are not in a romantic relationship. Married young adults, especially those who first married at ages 22 to 26, report higher life satisfaction than those in other type of romantic relationships,those in no romantic relationship, and those who married prior to age 22. Explanations for these findings are examined, and their implications are discussed.

Keyword(s):
Life Course Perspectives

URL:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022146511419206

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Citation:

Uecker, Jeremy E. (2012). Marriage and Mental Health among Young Adults. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 53(1), 67-83. PMCID: PMC3390929