Paul Dolan, author of Happy Ever After and professor of behavioural science at the London School of Economics, revealed that single women are more likely to longer than married and women who have children. As cited by the Guardian, Dolan said men benefitted more from marriage than women.
He cited evidence from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), which conducted a study comparing levels of misery and pleasure in married, widowed, separated, single and divorced persons. He said, “We do have some good longitudinal data following the same people over time. But I am going to do a massive disservice to that science and just say: If you are a man, you should probably get married; if you are a woman, don’t bother.”
“Men benefited from marriage because they calmed down. You take less risk, you earn more money at work. And you live longer. She, on the other hand, has to put up with that. And dies sooner than if she was never married. The healthiest and happiest population subgroup are women who never married or had children, he continued.
He also mentioned that married middle-aged women were at a higher risk of suffering mental and physical disorders. But despite the odds stuck against married women, single women may appear to be unhappy because of stigmatization from society.
Source: theguardian.com
By Grace Somuah-Annan|3news.com|Ghana