National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Centre for Research on Ageing, Health & Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australia National University, Canberra, ACT0200, Australia.
Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2020 Jul 15;29:e141. doi: 10.1017/S2045796020000530.
Mental health problems in early adulthood may disrupt partner relationship formation and quality. This prospective study used four waves of Australian data to investigate the effects of depression and anxiety in early adulthood on the quality of future partner (i.e. marriage or cohabiting) relationships.
A representative community sample of Australian adults aged 20-24 years was assessed in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. Analyses were restricted to those who at baseline had never entered a marriage or cohabiting relationship with no children (n = 1592). Associations were examined between baseline depression and anxiety levels (using the Goldberg Depression and Anxiety scales) and (a) future relationship status and (b) the quality of marriage or cohabiting relationships recorded at follow-up (up to 12 years later) (partner social support and conflict scales).
Depression in early adulthood was associated with never entering a partner relationship over the study period. For those who did enter a relationship, both depression and anxiety were significantly associated with subsequently lower relationship support and higher conflict. Supplementary analyses restricting the analyses to the first relationship entered at follow-up, and considering comorbid anxiety and depression, strongly supported these findings.
Depression and anxiety in early adulthood is associated with poorer partner relationship quality in the future. This study adds to evidence showing that mental health problems have substantial personal and inter-personal costs. The findings support the need to invest in prevention and early intervention.
成年早期的心理健康问题可能会干扰伴侣关系的形成和质量。本前瞻性研究使用澳大利亚的四组数据，调查成年早期的抑郁和焦虑对未来伴侣（即婚姻或同居）关系质量的影响。
1999 年、2003 年、2007 年和 2011 年对澳大利亚 20-24 岁的代表性社区成年人进行评估。分析仅限于基线时从未与子女结婚或同居的人（n=1592）。使用 Goldberg 抑郁和焦虑量表评估基线时的抑郁和焦虑水平，与（a）未来的关系状况和（b）随访时（最长 12 年后）记录的婚姻或同居关系质量（伴侣社会支持和冲突量表）之间的关联。
成年早期的抑郁与研究期间从未进入伴侣关系相关。对于那些进入关系的人，抑郁和焦虑都与随后的关系支持降低和冲突增加显著相关。将分析限制在随访时进入的第一份关系中，并考虑共病的焦虑和抑郁，这些分析结果得到了有力支持。
成年早期的抑郁和焦虑与未来较差的伴侣关系质量相关。本研究增加了证据表明心理健康问题具有重大的个人和人际成本。研究结果支持需要投资于预防和早期干预。
