Longitudinal Study of Marital Status and Mental Health in Late-middle-aged Japanese

调查了日本中老年人群的婚姻状况（已婚、离婚、丧偶和未婚）与心理健康之间的关系。数据来自于分两波对55岁至64岁的男性和女性进行的全国概率抽样调查。在1999年和2003年进行了一项后续调查。我们的横断面研究结果表明，未婚男性和离婚女性的心理健康处于不利地位。这项纵向研究还表明，在两次浪潮之间失去妻子的男性明显比那些已婚的男性更抑郁。此外，婚姻满意度是晚年心理健康的一个更重要的预测因子。

The associations between marital status (married, divorced, widowed, and never married) and mental health in late-middle-aged Japanese were investigated. Data were obtained from national probability sample surveys of men and women aged 55 to 64 that were conducted in two waves. In 1999, and a follow-up survey conducted in 2003. Our results of cross-sectional study indicated a mental health disadvantage for men that never married and for divorced women. This longitudinal study also indicated that men that lost their wives between the two waves were significantly more depressed than those that remained married. Moreover, marital satisfaction was a more significant predictor of mental health in later life.