"Emerging research shows that when one partner in a couple has a psychiatric disorder, the risk of similar conditions rises sharply for the other partner and their children. These disorders frequently cluster within couples and families worldwide, a phenomenon known as assortative mating. This clustering increases risk and can intensify psychiatric vulnerability over time. Recognizing and addressing this pattern is crucial for effective prevention and intervention."
"The investigation focused on nine major psychiatric conditions: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post- traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The findings were clear: When one spouse was diagnosed with a condition such as depression, the likelihood that the other partner would also experience depression or a related disorder, such as anxiety, increased substantially."
Comprehensive national health records were analyzed following individuals and their spouses to assess whether psychiatric disorders in couples occur by chance or reflect systematic patterns. Nine major psychiatric conditions were examined: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post- traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Spouses of affected individuals show much higher risks for the same or related mental disorders, with associations consistent across diverse countries and cultures. Children of affected couples inherit increased genetic predispositions and encounter environmental influences that raise risks for earlier onset and multiple conditions. Assortative mating amplifies familial psychiatric vulnerability over time, increasing prevention and intervention needs.
Read at Psychology Today
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