The role of separation/divorce in relapse into and recovery from major depression

This study examined the effects of marital dissolution on two potential outcomes, relapse into and recovery from major depression, within a sample that explicitly faces the recurring risk of depression. Among subjects who were depressed at the time of marital dissolution, Cox proportional hazards models revealed a five-fold increased probability of recovering from major depression for subjects who experienced a separation/ divorce relative to subjects who did not separate/divorce. Among subjects who were remitted/recovered at the time of marital dissolution, analyses did not reveal a significant probability of relapsing into major depression following a separation/divorce. These findings suggest that among individuals with a history of major depression and marital stressors, experiencing a separation/divorce may function to alleviate rather than precipitate depression.