Background and objectives: The association between marital status and health is well-established, but its causes remain unclear. This study was the first to examine stress overload, the pathogenic form of stress, as a possible explanation.
Design: The study employed a cross-sectional design and convenience sample to explore relationships among stress overload, marital status, social support, and illness.
Methods: A diverse sample (n = 455), recruited from community and social media sites, completed an anonymous online survey. Included were standardized measures of stress overload (SOS-S), perceived social support (MSPSS), and somatic symptoms (PHQ-15).
Results: Married participants reported lower stress overload levels than those in any other type of relationship (single, in-a-relationship, or cohabiting). They did not differ from the unmarried in overall level of social support, nor did statistically controlling social support or income levels erase the stress overload differential. They also reported lower levels of symptomology than the unmarried. SEM analyses yielded a best-fitting model showing stress overload to partially mediate the link between marital status and symptoms.
Conclusions: Stress overload is one mechanism that explains the marital health disparity, albeit not the only one. This holds implications for future research and practice focused on personal relationships and well-being.
Keywords: Stress overload; disparities; health; marriage; social support.