title: Relationship quality and levels of depression and anxiety in a large population-based survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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 relationship quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were from Wave 3 of the PATH Survey, a longitudinal community survey assessing the health and well-being of residents of the Canberra region, Australia (n = 3,820). Relationship quality was measured using the 7 item dyadic adjustment scale (DAS-7), and levels of depression and anxiety were measured using the Goldberg scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both cross-sectional and prospective analyses showed that associations between relationship status and mental health were moderated by relationship quality for both men and women, such that only good-quality relationships bestowed mental health benefits over remaining single. For women, being in a poor-quality relationship was associated with greater levels of anxiety than being single.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidemiological studies need to measure relationship quality to qualify the effect of relationship status on mental health.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Epidemiology and Social Issues Unit, Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia. Liana.Leach@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Liana S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butterworth
authors.forename: Sarah C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult