A recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Archives of Women’s Mental Health indicates that women in polygamous marriages experience significantly higher rates of psychological issues compared to women in monogamous marriages.
Key facts:
- The meta-analysis included 13 studies and 3166 participants, with 986 women in polygamous marriages.
- Across studies, women in polygamous marriages showed higher levels of somatization, obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety, hostility, paranoia, and psychoticism.
- However, women in polygamous marriages reported higher self-esteem and life satisfaction compared to monogamous women.
- There were no significant differences in marital satisfaction between polygamous and monogamous women.
Source: Arch Womens Ment Health
Defining Polygamy and Mental Health
Polygamy refers to a marital structure where one spouse has multiple partners.
The most common form is polygyny, involving one husband and multiple wives.
Mental health encompasses psychological, social, and emotional well-being.
The meta-analysis examined symptoms like depression, anxiety, somatization, hostility, and psychoticism as measures of mental health.
Higher distress severity on nearly all measures was found in women from polygamous versus monogamous marriages.
Mental Health Differences in Polygamous Women vs. Monogamous
The meta-analysis revealed significantly higher symptom severity across many domains of mental health among polygamous women:
Somatization – reflects physical symptoms related to psychological factors. Polygamous women showed more somatic complaints like headaches, insomnia, and fatigue.
Obsession-Compulsion – characterized by intrusive thoughts, repeating behaviors, and inability to control impulses. More prevalent among polygamous women.
Depression – encompasses sadness, hopeless feelings, and loss of interest. Found to a greater extent in polygamous women.
Anxiety – involves excessive fear, nervousness, and worrying. Polygamous women exhibited higher anxiety.
Hostility – defined by anger, irritability, and antagonistic attitudes. More hostility observed among polygamous women.
Paranoia – typified by suspicions, mistrust, and beliefs others intend harm. Polygamous women displayed greater paranoia.
Psychoticism – represents withdrawn behavior and distorted thinking. Polygamous women showed increased psychoticism.
Explaining the Mental Health Differences
Researchers offered several potential reasons for the observed mental health disparities:
“First wife syndrome” – the transition to a polygamous marriage can trigger anxiety and neuroticism in first wives.
Loss of familial resources – scarcity of financial, social, and emotional resources due to polygamy may cause distress.
Lack of choice – often first wives are not consulted before a husband takes another wife, inducing powerlessness.
Self-sacrificing role – women’s identity as selfless wives and mothers may worsen mental health issues.
Collectivist culture – provides less room for women’s individual goals and identity.
Surprisingly, Polygamous Women Have Higher Self-Esteem
Despite worsened mental health, the meta-analysis found polygamous women reported higher:
Self-esteem – polygamous women derive self-worth from group belonging in collectivist cultures.
Life satisfaction – community support in collectivist cultures may buffer polygamy’s effects.
Family functioning – prioritizing family and group cohesion improves family dynamics.
No Difference in Marital Satisfaction (Polygamous vs. Monogamous)
Interestingly, the meta-analysis found no significant differences in marital satisfaction between polygamous and monogamous women.
Researchers hypothesized women’s cultural roles as compliant, non-questioning wives may impact this result.
Limitations and Future Directions
While insightful, the systematic review had some limitations:
- Small number of studies – only 13 met inclusion criteria. More research is needed globally.
- Heterogeneous samples – participants varied in country, age, and measures used.
- Publication bias – studies finding no differences may be underrepresented.
- No data on order of wives – mental health may differ between first/subsequent wives.
More studies using consistent measures are needed from diverse cultures.
Exploring differences by wife order and children’s mental health represent important future directions.
In conclusion, this systematic review and meta-analysis found compelling evidence that women in polygamous marriages experience greater psychological distress across many mental health domains compared to monogamous women.
References
- Study: Prevalence of mental health problems in women in polygamous versus monogamous marriages: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Authors: Parisa Rahmanian et al. (2020)
