Marital status and well-being

In an attempt to disentangle the causal relationship between marital status and psychological well-being, two general hypotheses were tested. The first hypothesis follows from a model of well-being in which changes in major life events are presumed to cause changes in well-being. Accordingly, transitions into marriage and remarriage will produce increases in well-being, whereas divorce will produce decreases in well-being. The second hypothesis, one known as the selection theory, was also tested. According to the selection theory, marital status is a consequence of selectivity, in that preexisting variables such as well-being predispose people to certain marital statuses. Accordingly, people who report high levels of well-being will be more likely to marry and stay married than people who report low levels of well-being. Understanding the relationship between marital status and well-being involves more than the issue of causality; it is equally important to identify variables that mediate such a relationship. Therefore, variables including gender, personality, and the presence of a companion were considered.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Scott, Christy K.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Diener, Edward F.

• Psychology, Clinical
• Psychology, Personality

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1992 Scott, Christy K.

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9236589
(UMI)AAI9236589

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/22766