Cited by 198Mental Health Treatment and AccessFamily Dynamics and RelationshipsMarriage and Family Dynamics

A multinational study of mental disorders, marriage, and divorce

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Breslau, J., Miller, E., Jin, R., Sampson, N. A., Alonso, J., Andrade, L. H., Bromet, E. J., de Girolamo, G. +16 more·2011·Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica

Abstract

Breslau J, Miller E, Jin R, Sampson NA, Alonso J, Andrade LH, Bromet EJ, de Girolamo G, Demyttenaere K, Fayyad J, Fukao A, Gălăon 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. Objective: Estimate predictive associations of mental disorders with marriage and divorce in a cross‐national sample. Method: Population surveys of mental disorders included assessment of age at first marriage in 19 countries (n = 46 128) and age at first divorce in a subset of 12 countries (n = 30 729). Associations between mental disorders and subsequent marriage and divorce were estimated in discrete time survival models. Results: Fourteen of 18 premarital mental disorders are associated with lower likelihood of ever marrying (odds ratios ranging from 0.6 to 0.9), but these associations vary across ages of marriage. Associations between premarital mental disorders and marriage are generally null for early marriage (age 17 or younger), but negative associations come to predominate at later ages. All 18 mental disorders are positively associated with divorce (odds ratios ranging from 1.2 to 1.8). Three disorders, specific phobia, major depression, and alcohol abuse, are associated with the largest population attributable risk proportions for both marriage and divorce. Conclusion: This evidence adds to research demonstrating adverse effects of mental disorders on life course altering events across a diverse range of socioeconomic and cultural settings. These effects should be included in considerations of public health investments in preventing and treating mental disorders.

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Crossref · 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01712.x

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  • Early-onset major depressive disorder predicts later difficulties in role transitions, such as lower educational attainment, higher risk of teen childbearing, marital disruption, and unstable employment.

    “Early-onset MDD is found to predict difficulties in subsequent role transitions, including low educational attainment, high risk of teen child-bearing, marital disruption, and unstable employment.”

    From The Costs of Depression (2012) · cites this paper as [27]

  • Early-onset mental disorders predict a lower probability of ever marrying, are either positively associated or unrelated with marriage before age 18, and are negatively associated with on-time and late marriage; these patterns are largely similar for men and women and across countries, and major depressive disorder is one of the most important pre-marital mental disorders.

    “Early-onset mental disorders predict low probability of ever marrying, but are either positively associated28 or unrelated27 with early (before age 18) marriage, which is known to be associated with a number of adverse outcomes, and negatively associated with on-time and late marriage, which are known to be associated with a number of benefits (e.g., financial security, social support). These ass”

    From The Costs of Depression (2012) · cites this paper as [27]

  • Pre-marital history of mental disorders predicts divorce, with associations quite similar for husbands and wives across all countries, and major depressive disorder is among the most important disorders in this regard.

    “A separate set of studies has shown that pre-marital history of mental disorders predicts divorce,30, 31 again with associations quite similar for husbands and wives across all countries and MDD among the most important disorders in this regard.27”

    From The Costs of Depression (2012) · cites this paper as [27]

  • The relative contribution of depression to suicide is smaller in low- and middle-income countries where a mood disorder was identified in 25% of people who died by suicide.

    “That said, it appears that the relative contribution of depression to suicide is smaller in low- and middle-income countries 205,206 where a mood disorder was identified in 25% of people who died by suicide.”
  • Previous studies have suggested that individuals with MDD are less likely to get married and on average have fewer children.

    “previous studies have suggested that individuals with MDD are less likely to get married and on average have fewer children [40,41]”

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [22]First MB Spitzer RL Gibbon M Williams JBW Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV-TR axis i disorders, research version, non-patient edition (SCID-I / NP) New York Biometric Research, New York State Psychiatric Institute 2002
  2. [40]Bruffaerts R Bonnewyn A Desmarets S Van Oyen H Demyttenaere K Prévalence des troubles mentaux dans la population belge. Résultats de l’étude ESEMeD (European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders) Rev Med Liege 2003 58 741 750 14978848
  3. [42]De Girolamo G Polidori G Morosini G Prevalenza dei disturbi mentali in Italia, fattori di rischio, stato di salute ed uso dei servizi sanitari: Il progetto ESEMeD-WMH Epidemiol Psichiatr Soc 2005 14 1 100 Supplemento 8 16447815

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Authors
Breslau, J., Miller, E., Jin, R., Sampson, N. A., Alonso, J., Andrade, L. H., Bromet, E. J., de Girolamo, G., Demyttenaere, K., Fayyad, J., Fukao, A., Gălăon, M., Gureje, O., He, Y., Hinkov, H. R., Hu, C., Kovess‐Masfety, V., Matschinger, H., Medina‐Mora, M. E., Ormel, J., Posada‐Villa, J., Sagar, R., Scott, K. M., & Kessler, R. C.
Affiliations
  • University of California System (US)
  • University of California, Davis (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Municipal Institute for Medical Research (ES)
  • Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
  • Stony Brook University (US)
  • Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven (BE)
  • University of Balamand (LB)
  • Yamagata University (JP)
  • National School of Public Health, Management and Professional Development (RO)
  • University College Hospital, Ibadan (NG)
  • Shanghai Mental Health Center (CN)
  • Leipzig University (DE)
  • Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz (MX)
  • University Medical Center Groningen (NL)
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences (IN)
  • University of Otago (NZ)
Corresponding author
  • He, Y.
  • Kessler, R. C.
Venue
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2011-04-30
Volume
124
Issue
6
Pages
474-486
ISSN
  • 0001-690X (ISSN-L)
  • 1600-0447
OpenAlex
W2149338329
Cited by
198
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 3
FWCI
14.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Lirias (submittedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (R01 DA016558, R13-MH066849)
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Pfizer
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Sanofi
  • World Health Organization
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • European Commission (QLG5–1999-01042, SANCO2004123, 2004123)
  • Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
  • Generalitat de Catalunya (01042)
  • Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (H16-KOKORO-013, H14-TOKUBETSU-026, H13-SHOGAI-023)
  • Shire
  • Jawaharlal Institute Of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research
  • Regione Piemonte
  • National Institutes of Health (5r13mh066849-04, 5r01mh069864-04, 5r01mh070884-05)
  • Pfizer Foundation (R01‐MH069864, R01-DA016558, R13-MH066849, R03-TW006481)
  • Pan American Health Organization
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • Instituto de Salud Carlos III
  • Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R13-MH-066849, NIMH R01MH070884, R0 1-MH61905, R01‐MH070884, U01-MH-60220, R01MH061905, MH070884, HHSN271200700030C, U01MH060220, R01‐MH069864)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (K05DA015799, R01DA016558)
  • Fogarty International Center (FIRCA R03TW006481, R03TW006481)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (K12HD051958)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Family Dynamics
Keywords
mental illness, marriage, divorce, age at marriage, major depressive disorder, alcohol abuse, specific phobia, population attributable risk, life course, cross-national comparison
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Mental Disorders, Cultural Characteristics, Divorce, Female, Humans, Male, Marriage, Middle Aged, Population Surveillance, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, Global Health, Comorbidity, Precipitating Factors, Prevalence, Age of Onset, Internationality, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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