Social Interaction and Depressive Symptoms in Couples
Author Information
Author(s): Mernitz Sara, Garcia Michael, Umberson Debra
Primary Institution: The University of Texas Austin
Hypothesis
How does the frequency of social interactions change over time for same-sex and different-sex couples, and how does this influence depressive symptoms?
Conclusion
Decreased social interaction with family and friends is linked to increased depressive symptoms, particularly for women in same-sex marriages and men in same-sex marriages.
Supporting Evidence
- Social interaction with family decreased for same-sex couples over 6 years.
- Men married to men saw a decrease in social interaction with friends.
- Increased depressive symptoms were linked to decreased family interaction for women married to women.
- Men married to men experienced increased depressive symptoms with decreased friend interaction.
Takeaway
Talking to friends and family is really important for feeling happy, and not doing it enough can make some people feel sad, especially in same-sex couples.
Methodology
The study used dyadic longitudinal data and mixed-effects multilevel modeling to analyze changes in social interaction frequency and depressive symptoms over 6 years.
Participant Demographics
Mid-to-later life U.S. individuals in same-sex and different-sex marriages.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website