MONTREAL, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Depressed singles get greater psychological benefits from getting married than those who are not depressed, according to an Ohio State University study.
Study authors doctoral student Adrianne Frech and Kristi Williams, assistant professor of sociology, said the study was the first to compare how depressed and non-depressed people benefit from marriage.
"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," said Frech. "We actually found the opposite of what we expected."
The results didn't show any differences between men and women in the links between marriage and depression, according to the researchers.
Although the study didn't look at why depressed people benefit more from marriage, the researchers believe they may have more to gain.
"If you start out happy, you don't have as far to go," Williams said. "But also, depressed people may just be especially in need of the intimacy, the emotional closeness and the social support that marriage can provide."
Frech presented the findings in at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Montreal, Canada.
