Most long-term singles stay satisfied with their lives over 11 years, study finds
Are people who stay single doomed to unhappiness? An 11-year study of German singles suggests not: about 90 percent maintained relatively high life satisfaction, even though their sex lives, desire for a partner, and feelings about being single varied widely.
A new study reveals that individuals who remain never-married and unmarried generally maintain high and stable life satisfaction over an 11-year period, despite varying sexual fulfillment and desires for a partner. Researchers analyzed data from the German Family Panel, tracking 2,930 adults from three generations, ranging in age from 18 to 36, who remained never-married and without a committed partner throughout the 11-year study.
The researchers used a statistical modeling technique to identify multiple distinct paths that singles could take over time. They found that the majority of participants across all age groups reported high and relatively stable life satisfaction, with roughly 90 percent of each cohort maintaining scores above the midpoint of the scale for the entire duration of the study.
Although their sexual satisfaction and desire for a romantic partner varied more between individuals, overall life satisfaction remained remarkably robust.
Satisfaction with being single showed greater variety. Among the youngest adults, about 67 percent reported high and stable satisfaction with their single status, while among young and middle-aged adults, satisfaction with singlehood ranged from highly satisfied to low. The authors suggest that life goals and selection processes, such as partnering later in life, may contribute to these differences in satisfaction with being single.
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