MARITAL DISSOLUTION AND SUBJECTIVE DISTRESS - PANEL EVIDENCE

High levels of subjective distress are commonly found among separated and divorced people. The present study uses three-wave panel data to e xamine possible causal explanations. In the years immediately precedin g the marital dissolution, people experience higher levels of distress , and controlling for this clearly reduces the estimated effect of div orce or separation. However, controlling for distress measured 4-8 yea rs earlier does not have a similar impact. This provides evidence agai nst the hypothesis that the relationship between marital dissolution a nd subjective well-being is due to permanent personality differences b etween those who divorce and those who remain stably married. The effe cts of marital dissolution seem to be quite stable; they are equally s trong after 4-8 years as after 0-4 years.