Abstract
Mental health problems in early adulthood may disrupt partner relationship formation and quality. This prospective study used four waves of Australian data to investigate the effects of depression and anxiety in early adulthood on the quality of future partner (i.e. marriage or cohabiting) relationships. A representative community sample of Australian adults aged 20-24 years was assessed in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. Analyses were restricted to those who at baseline had never entered a marriage or cohabiting relationship with no children (n = 1592). Associations were examined between baseline depression and anxiety levels (using the Goldberg Depression and Anxiety scales) and (a) future relationship status and (b) the quality of marriage or cohabiting relationships recorded at follow-up (up to 12 years later) (partner social support and conflict scales). Depression in early adulthood was associated with never entering a partner relationship over the study period. For those who did enter a relationship, both depression and anxiety were significantly associated with subsequently lower relationship support and higher conflict. Supplementary analyses restricting the analyses to the first relationship entered at follow-up, and considering comorbid anxiety and depression, strongly supported these findings. Depression and anxiety in early adulthood is associated with poorer partner relationship quality in the future. This study adds to evidence showing that mental health problems have substantial personal and inter-personal costs. The findings support the need to invest in prevention and early intervention.
Highlights
Substantial epidemiological research has sought to identify and quantify the extensive functional, social and economic consequences of psychiatric disorders
Greater depression was significantly associated with being female, fewer years of education, being unemployed, financial hardship, harmful alcohol use, smoking, lower physical functioning and never entering a partner relationship over the study period
Greater anxiety was significantly associated with being female, fewer years of education, working part-time or not being in the labour force, financial hardship, smoking and lower physical functioning
Summary
Substantial epidemiological research has sought to identify and quantify the extensive functional, social and economic consequences of psychiatric disorders. Global Burden of Disease research showed that in 2010 mental and substance use disorders accounted for 7.4% (6.2–8.6%) of all disability-adjusted life-years worldwide (Whiteford et al, 2013). Studies quantifying the overall burden of mental disorders using macro-level indicators are critical, nuanced research is needed in tandem to demonstrate the social and relational consequences of mental health problems – the most common mental health problems, depression and anxiety. Little prospective epidemiological research has assessed the impacts of early adulthood depression and anxiety on the quality of future partner relationships. This is the primary focus of the current study
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