Title

Effects of Mental Health on Couple Relationship Status

Author(s)

Nancy E. Reichman Nancy Reichman (Robert Wood Johnson Medical School & Princeton University)

Hope Corman Hope Corman (Rider University & NBER)

Kelly Noonan Kelly Noonan (Rider University & NBER)

Abstract

We exploit the occurrence of postpartum depression (PPD), which has a random component according to the medical community, to estimate causal effects of a salient form of mental illness on couples? relationship status. We estimate single-equation models as well as bivariate probit models that address the endogeneity of PPD. We find that this relatively prevalent mental illness reduces the probability the couples are married (by 22?24%) as well the probability that they are living together (married or cohabiting) (by 24?26%) three years after the birth of the child. Models stratified by relationship status at the time of the birth indicate that PPD makes it more likely that unions dissolve (particularly among baseline cohabitors) and less likely that unions are formed (particularly among baseline non-cohabitors). The findings contribute to the literature on the effects of mental illness on relationships and to the broader literature on socioeconomic status and health.

Creation Date

2013-06

Section URL ID

CRCW

Paper Number

WP13-09-FF.pdf

URL

https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w19164/w19164.pdf

File Function

Jel

D190, D630, J120, J130, I190

Keyword(s)

postpartum depression, motherhood, families, mental illness, relationship status

Suppress

false

Series

8