Although considerable research has addressed the relationship between marital status and perceived well-being, few studies have been of black populations. Particularly neglected has been the study of black men. This research focuses on the relationship between marital status and overall life satisfaction within a probability sample of 253 black men. Married black men are significantly less satisfied than are the unmarried men (including the separated). This difference persists when health, age, SES, and social participation are controlled. The lower life satisfaction of married black men may result primarily from malelfemale relationships damaged by the long history of socioeconomic disadvantages faced by black Americans.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Ball, R.E. (1981) `Black family structure and income disparity'. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, Milwaukee, October.
2.
Ball, R.E. (1983) `Marital Status, household structure and life satisfaction of black women'. Social Problems (30); 400-409.
3.
Bianchi, S.M. (1981) Household Composition and Racial Inequality. Rutgers University: New Brunswick, NJ.
4.
Bradburn, N. (1969) The Structure of Psychological Well-Being. Aldine: Chicago.
5.
Bradburn, N. & Caplovitz, D. (1965) Reports on Happiness. Aldine: Chicago.
6.
Braithwaite, R.L. (1981) `Interpersonal relations between black males and black females'. In L. Gary (ed.), Black Men. Sage: Beverly Hills.
7.
Campbell, A. , Converse, P. & Rodgers W. (1976) The Quality of American Life. Russell Sage: New York.
8.
Cantril, H. (1965) The Pattern of Human Concern. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
9.
Cazenave, N.A. (1981) `Black men in America: The quest for manhood.' in H.P. McAdoo (ed.), Black Families. Sage: Beverly Hills.
10.
Cazenave, N.A. (1983) `Black male-black female relationships: The perceptions of 155 middle-class black men'. Family Relations (32), 341-350.
11.
Clemente, F. & Sauer W. (1976) `Life satisfaction in the United States'. Social Forces (54); 621-631.
12.
Edwards, J.N. , & Klemmack, D. (1973) `Correlates of life satisfaction: A reexamination'. Journal of Gerontology (28), 497-502.
13.
Gary, L.E. (1981) `Introduction' in L. Gary (ed.), Black Men. Sage: Beverly Hills.
14.
Glenn, N. (1975) `The contribution of marriage to the psychological well-being of males and females'. Journal of Marriage and the Family (37), 594-600.
15.
Glenn, N. & Weaver C. (1979) `A note on family situation and global happiness'. Social Forces (57), 960-967.
16.
Glenn, N. & Weaver, C. (1981) `The contribution of marital happiness to global happiness'. Journal of Marriage and the Family (43), 161-168.
17.
Glick, P.C. (1981) `A demographic picture of black families', in H.P. McAdoo (ed.), Black Families. Sage: Beverly Hills.
18.
Gurin, G. , Veroff, J. & Feld, S. (1960) Americans View Their Mental Health. Basic Books: New York.
19.
Guttentag, M. , & Secord, P. (1983) Too Many Women? The Sex Ratio Question. Sage: Beverly Hills.
20.
Holzer, C.E. (1978) `SESNAM coding'. Working paper, Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida.
21.
Kish, L. (1965) Survey Sampling. Wiley: New York.
22.
Nam, C.B. , La Roque J., Powers, M. & Holmberg J. (1975) `Occupational Status Scores: Stability and Change'Proceedings of the Social Statistics Section. American Statistical Association: Washington, D.C.
23.
Palmore, E. & Luikert C. (1972) `Health and social factors related to life satisfaction'. Journal of Health and Social Behavior (13), 68-80.
24.
Spanier, G.B. , & Glick P. (1980) `Mate selection differentials between blacks and whites in the United States'. Social Forces (58) 707-725.
25.
Spreitzer, E. & Snyder E. (1974) `Correlates of life satisfaction among the aged'. Journal of Gerontology (29): 454-458.
26.
Staples, R. (1981) `Race and marital status: An overview', in H.P. McAdoo (ed.), Black Families. Sage: Beverly Hills.
27.
Taylor, R.L. (1977) `Socialization to the black male role', in D.Y. Wilkinson & R.L. Taylor (eds.), The Black Male in America. Nelson-Hall: Chicago.
28.
Veroff, J. , Douvan G., & Kulka R. (1981) The Inner American: A Self-Portrait from 1957-1976. Basic Books: New York.
29.
Warheit, G.J. , (1979) `Life events, coping, stress, and depressive symptomatology'. American Journal of Psychiatry (136), 502-507.
30.
Warheit, G.J. , Holzer, C., Bell, R. & Arey S. (1976) `Sex, marital status, and mental health: A reappraisal'. Social Forces (55), 459-470.
31.
Wilkening, E.A. , & McGranahan, D. (1978) `Correlates of subjective well-being in northern Wisconsin'. Social Indicators Research (5) 211-234.
32.
Wray, S.D. (1974) `The Social Factors Associated with the Happiness and Mental Health of People in the Middle Years and Early Old Age'. PhD Dissertation, Department of Sociology, University of Florida. University Microfilms: Ann Arbor, Mich.
