Overview
- Life satisfaction declined and loneliness rose over time for long-term singles, with effects most pronounced in the late twenties.
- Starting a first romantic partnership was associated with higher satisfaction and reduced loneliness in both the short and long term.
- The researchers detected no comparable improvement in measures of depressivity after participants entered a first relationship.
- Men, those with lower current well-being, people pursuing higher education, and individuals living alone or with parents tended to remain single longer on average.
- Study lead Michael Krämer characterized the risks of extended single periods in young adulthood as moderate and noted the pattern may reflect bidirectional influences.