Correlational findings | World Database of Happiness

Study Williams (2003): study US 1986

Public: 24+ aged, USA, followed 1986-1994
Sample
Respondents: N = 2348
Non Response: n=723 in 1989 and 1994.
Assessment: Interview: face-to-face

Correlate

Authors's Label

Continuity in marital status

Our Classification

Operationalization

Continually unmarried (vs continually married) during the last 3 to 4 years
a: never married
b: divorced or separated
c: widowed

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure

Statistics

Elaboration / Remarks

O-SLW-u-sq-v-5-I

b = -.20 p < .05

a: never married (vs continually married)

O-SLW-u-sq-v-5-I

b = -.48 p < .001

b: divorced or separated (vs continually married)

O-SLW-u-sq-v-5-I

b = -.31 p < .001

c: widowed (vs continually married)

B's controled for:
- race
- education
- children
- household income
- employment
- age and age squared

Similar for males and females

Reversed among low harmony couples: both men and woman who remained married in spite of low marital harmony at T1 report significantly less happiness at T2 than the continuously unmarried.