Journal article

Relationship quality and levels of depression and anxiety in a large population-based survey

LS Leach, P Butterworth, SC Olesen, A Mackinnon

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Published : 2013

Abstract

Purpose: There is substantial literature suggesting that the mental health benefits of marriage (compared to being single) are greater for those in 'good-quality' relationships in comparison to those in 'poor-quality' relationships. However, little of this research utilises large population-based surveys. Large surveys in psychiatric epidemiology have focused almost exclusively on the association between marital status and mental health. The current study explores some of the reasons for this gap in the literature, and adopts a large, representative community-based sample to investigate whether associations between relationship status and levels of depression and anxiety are moderated by rel..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Professor Scott Henderson for providing valuable comments and feedback. We also thank the chief investigators and administrators of the PATH study (Kaarin Anstey, Helen Christensen, Simon Easteal, Anthony Jorm, Bryan Rodgers, Perminder Sachdev, Trish Jacomb, Karen Maxwell) and the PATH interviewers and participants. Funding for the PATH study was provided by Program Grant No. 179805 and No. 418039 from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia. Author LSL was supported by an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship No. 1035803. Author SO was supported by an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship No. 1035690. Author PB was supported by an NHMRC Career Development Award No. 525410.