FED: Marriage still the key to a happy life, says study

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-1998
FED: Marriage still the key to a happy life, says study

By Rosalind Mathieson

CANBERRA, Dec 7 AAP - Tying the matrimonial knot is still the key to a happy life, with
married people more content than swinging singles, new research shows.

The study found married people were happier with life in general, their home lives and
their future outlook than those who were in de facto relationships or single.

While the institution of marriage was waning, the average level of satisfaction for those
who signed up was twice as high as that of singles in some age groups.

The research was carried out by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and
surveyed four groups of people born in 1961, 1965, 1970 and 1975.

"In general, married people tend to be happier than those who are single, divorced or
widowed," it found.

"Home life is one of the major reasons for the relatively strong relationship between home
well-being and marital status."

The study found a greater correlation with happiness for those who were married, with a
negative correlation for de factos and single people.

But younger people surveyed cited a less strong link between marriage and happiness, the
study found.

"Since social norms regarding marriage are changing, it is expected that the effect of
marital status would be weaker in younger cohorts."

The research also discovered little if no link between having children and greater
happiness, with parents citing reduced independence when they were tied down with offspring.

And overall, women tended to be slightly happier than men.

"It is often believed that women are less satisfied with life than men. In these data
however, young women reported being happier by a few scale points than young men."

Women were happier with their interpersonal relationships.

"Men tended to report greater satisfaction than women with how they spent their spare time,
the state of the economy and the way the country was run," the study said.

Being unemployed also had a strong impact on the level of personal happiness, while income
was less important.

And the study warned there were indications the negative influence of unemployment on
well-being was increasing.

"Increasing unemployment, the breakdown of local communities, increasing social isolation
and rapid social change cast doubt on the assumption that modern societies can maintain high
levels of wellbeing among their members."

Young peoples lives were becoming more difficult as they were the most vulnerable to
change, with the youngest people in the study generally less happier, the study said.

AAP rmm/kr

KEYWORD: HAPPINESS

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