Nonmarital romantic relationships and mental health in early adulthood: does the association differ for women and men?
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Observational cross-sectional association study without random allocation or prospective control
PubMed 20617757 · doi:10.1177/0022146510372343
What was done
Authors examined associations between several dimensions of nonmarital romantic relationships (current involvement, recent breakups, relationship support, and relationship strain) and symptoms of depression and substance abuse/dependence in a diverse sample of young adults in Miami, Florida.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or confidence intervals. It states that current involvements and recent breakups were more closely associated with women's than men's mental health, whereas support and strain within ongoing relationships were more closely associated with men's than women's emotional well-being.
Why it matters
The study shows that gender differences in the mental health associations of romantic relationships vary depending on the specific dimension of the relationship examined in early adulthood.
Limits
The abstract reports no sample size (n is unknown), numerical data, effect sizes, or p-values. The cross-sectional observational design precludes causal inference and cannot rule out reverse causation or unmeasured confounding. The sample was restricted to young adults in Miami, Florida, limiting generalizability to other populations and age cohorts.