Depressed singletons fair better when they get married than non-depressed people, says a study conducted at Ohio State University.
Researchers surveyed 3,066 people from 1987 through 1994. Those who reported depression symptoms before they got married scored higher on ratings of marital happiness and conflict, according to Adrianne Frech, a co-author of the study and a sociology doctoral student at OSU.
“We thought depressed people would be less likely to benefit from marriage because the depression of one spouse can put a strain on the marriage and undermine marital quality,” Frech says. “Marriage may give depressed people a greater sense that they matter to someone, while people who were depressed prior to marriage may have always thought that way.”
