Marriage, Divorce, and Male Testosterone

Among male air force veterans of the Vietnam era, age-adjusted testosterone levels are lower in married men than among those who are single or divorced. Contrary to the assumption of some sociological studies, age-adjusted testosterone level is not constant over time. Testosterone is relatively high during the years surrounding a divorce, and testosterone level falls during the years surrounding marriage. Changing testosterone levels may explain the low criminality found among married men and the increase in the abuse of wives around the time of divorce.