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Happiness Singled Out: Bidirectional Associations Between Singlehood and Life Satisfaction.
Jeewon Oh1, William J Chopik1, Richard E Lucas1
1Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|October 6, 2021
Summary
Single people report overall satisfaction, but both singlehood and life satisfaction decrease over time. This longitudinal study reveals bidirectional influences between singlehood satisfaction and life satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Single individuals constitute a significant societal demographic, yet their satisfaction with singlehood and overall life satisfaction remain under-researched.
- Existing research often overlooks the unique experiences and well-being of single adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the levels and changes in singlehood satisfaction and life satisfaction among single adults over a 10-year period.
- To examine the relationship and potential bidirectional influences between singlehood satisfaction and life satisfaction.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design following 3,439 individuals over 10 years.
- Utilized constrained random-intercept cross-lagged panel models to analyze the reciprocal relationships between variables.
- Collected data on singlehood satisfaction, life satisfaction, and demographic factors.
Main Results:
- Participants generally reported being more satisfied than not with their single status.
- Both singlehood satisfaction and life satisfaction showed a decline over the 10-year study period.
- Factors such as older age, male gender, higher education, and poorer health were associated with lower singlehood satisfaction.
Conclusions:
- While single individuals express satisfaction, their contentment with both singlehood and life diminishes over time.
- A reciprocal relationship exists between satisfaction with singlehood and overall life satisfaction.
- Understanding the origins of these satisfaction levels is crucial for supporting the well-being of single adults.
Keywords:
PAIRFAMgrowth curve modelinglife satisfactionrandom-intercept cross-lagged panel modelssinglehoodMore Related Videos
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