In western societies it is now common for marriages to end in divorce or separation. For some countries, such as Sweden, the percentage of marriages that end in divorce is as high as 55% (1). So should we now conclude that people’s expectations and lives have changed so much that marriage as an institution has gone out of fashion?
If one simply looks at marriage in terms of its traditional social and economic functions, this may be a reasonable conclusion. For one thing, the husband is no longer the sole breadwinner and the wife is not obliged to stay at home and raise the family. This is not to say that the changes in society have robbed today’s marriages of any benefits. On the contrary, research shows that marriage has the strongest correlation with happiness and well-being.
Married people tend to have better psychological well-being than people that are not married. One American study, investigating the rates of mental illness treatment, found that married people tended to have lower rates compared to unmarried, divorced or single people (2). Also married people, tend to live longer, report better economic status, better sexual relationships and more satisfaction with life (3).
Why is marriage associated with well-being?
Some theorists argue that the main reason why there is a strong association between well-being, happiness and marriage is that people who are happy and have high levels of life satisfaction are more likely to get married than those who don't (4). Theorists refer to this argument as 'social selection theory'. In other words, it is not being married that confers these benefits but the fact that people who are happy are more likely to attract mates or are positive enough about their partners that they are willing to enter into a legal contract.
Other theorists argue that marriage is correlated with well-being, because married couples usually engage in healthier living styles. Married people, unlike single, divorced or cohabiting couples, tend to have healthier diets. They also smoke and drink less. Such life choices are manly down to the fact that, once people make the promise to ‘love and cherish one another, until the end of days’, more effort is usually put into improving their lives together. In other words, “Marriage is a kind of biological cooperative whose members look after one another and receive mental health benefits”. (5)
Another theory on marriage and well-being argues that marriage is a close and very personal social union, binding couples in a mutual give-and-take understanding (6). This is believed to protect couples from the emotional and psychological stress resulting from life struggles. Thus, the argument goes, when faced with problems, married people cope better, because they have a supporting spouse and someone to offer practical and financial support. In other words, marriage “gives each partner a dependable companion, a lover, and a friend”. (7). A study carried out in America, found that among male students studying medicine at UCLA, those who were married, experienced less stress and anxiety during their studies (8).
Is marriage always associated with well-being?
Of course, no one would argue that marriage on its own is a guarantee for happiness and well-being. It is the quality of the relationship, which affects the couple’s well-being. The fact that quality matters, is shown by the association between marital satisfaction and well-being (9). Couples that are satisfied with their marital status report higher levels of well-being, while couples that are dissatisfied with their marital status, tend to report lower levels of well-being compared to singles, divorced or cohabiting couples. Considering the high rates of divorce in modern society, it is safe to say, that only very few couples, who are dissatisfied with their marriages stay married. In most cases, if one or both partners are unhappy, the marriage will end in divorce or separation.
References
(1) DWordDive (2007). Divorce rates around the world. Retrieved 2009-06-04, from
http://www.darndivorce.com/divorce-rates-around-the-world/
(2) Gove, R. W., Style, B. C., and Hughes, M. (1990). The effect of marriage on the wellbeing of adults: A theoretical analysis. Journal of family issues, 11, 4-35.
(3) Kahneman, D., Diener, E., and Schwarz, N. (1999). Well-being: The foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Publications. Pg 361
(4) Gove, R. W., Style, B. C., and Hughes, M. (1990). The effect of marriage on the wellbeing of adults: A theoretical analysis. Journal of family issues, 11, 4-35.
(5) Kahneman, D., Diener, E., and Schwarz, N. (1999). Well-being: The foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Publications.
(6) Shapiro, A., and Keyes, C. L. M. (2008) Marital Status and Social Well-being: Are the Married Always better off? Social Indicators Research, 88, 329-346. Pg 2
(7) Kahneman, D., Diener, E., and Schwarz, N. (1999). Well-being: The foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Publications. Pg 380
(8) Kahneman, D., Diener, E., and Schwarz, N. (1999). Well-being: The foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Publications. Pg 361
(9) Gove, R. W., Style, B. C., and Hughes, M. (1990). The effect of marriage on the wellbeing of adults: A theoretical analysis. Journal of family issues, 11, 4-35.
