The personal, family and community consequences and costs of high rates of marriage
breakdown and divorce have focused attention in Australia (House of Representatives
Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs 1998) and overseas ( Home
Office 1998, Commission on the Family 1998) towards developing national policies and
implementing strategies to strengthen marriage and family relationships.
Stable and satisfying marriages contribute to men’s and women’s improved physical and
psychological health and longevity as well as their material wealth (Waite 1995) and to
better outcomes for children’s wellbeing (Silburn et al. 1996; Amato and Booth 1997).
However, these protective benefits of marriage for adults and children appear to apply
only in marriages that are not highly conflictual (Amato and Booth 1997) or beset by
severe mental health problems in a spouse (Sanders 1995; Halford and Markham 1997).
Waite (1995) also cautions that some marriages may result in no benefits and even harm
to family members. Similarly, stable cohabiting relationships may also provide some of
these positive outcomes for adults and children (Waite 1995; Glezer 1997).