A Lifecourse Perspective on Singlehood

A growing number of adults are spending more of their lifetime as single, either because they are taking longer to form unions, are re-entering singlehood after the dissolution of unions, or are avoiding union formation all together. Nevertheless, existing relationship research still generally positions singlehood as something to avoid, limiting our understanding of the rapidly evolving position of singlehood within the lifecourse as well as its implications for health and well-being. Thus, this special issue includes four articles that collectively offer theoretical and empirical inquiries of developmental and historical trends in singlehood and relationship histories, examine the antecedents and consequences of these trends, and explore how they vary based on salient sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, this special issue demonstrates that singlehood is more than just a temporary status within one's "progression" to the formation of committed relationships. It is our hope that the papers in this issue will encourage scholars to revise and expand their perspective on relationships to include singlehood alongside committed relationships as a potentially viable and healthy status as well as valid point of destination.