Together but Alone: The Effect of Husband's Migration on Mental Health of their Wives in Rural Nepal

Abstract

This dissertation aims to understand the relationship between husband's migration and the mental health of their wives who stay behind. It identifies, describes, and analyzes different pathways of this relationship, with a focus on labor migration, transnational families, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and South Asia, particularly Nepal. It further discusses the pattern of this association and how factors like household members and children moderates it. The findings in these papers are based on 1) qualitative data derived from a series of interviews and ethnographic observations, and 2) quantitative panel data on individual's migration and mental health history, as well as individual and household level demographic details collected rigorously over 21 years. Chapter II identifies and describes five pathways of interaction between husband's migration and their wives' mental health: communication, children as coping and stress-inducing agents, family support and difficulties, migration history in the family, and migration as a social process. It concludes that these mechanisms interact in a complex web within the individual and social domain of the migrant's wives that determines how they experience mental well-being and mental health problems. Chapter III is focused on understanding the pattern of association between husbands' time away and the onset of MDD in their wives. It concludes that the stress that comes immediately after the husband's departure significantly influences the onset of MDD among their wives. Chapter IV utilizes the theoretical framework of social ties, social support, and mental health in understanding how household members and children of wives of labor migrants can protect or increase their risk of MDD. It concludes that household members act differently in the context of migration and can reduce the risk of MDD. Overall, this dissertation contributes to the theoretical understanding of the association between migration and mental health. This knowledge can be used to guide public health policies and programs to address the mental health consequences of husband's migration on their families who stay behind.