MARITAL-STATUS, GENERAL-LIFE SATISFACTION AND THE WELFARE-STATE - A CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON

Numerous studies, using U.S. samples, have shown a positive correlatio n between being married and various measures of general well-being. Ho wever, data from Sweden suggests that this relationship may not hold i n all modernized societies. Using cross-national data, this study exam ines the relationship between marital status and general well-being in eight countries in the 1970s. The results indicate that being married was an important predictor of general well-being in seven of the eigh t countries, the lone exception being Finland. These findings are inte rpreted in light of the idea that social welfare systems, to the exten t that they constitute strong institutional supports for individuals o utside of marriage, may make marriage less important for general-life satisfaction.