Being single linked to higher emotional well-being than bad relationships - study

New research suggests that being single can lead to higher emotional well-being than remaining in a dissatisfying relationship. A large longitudinal study conducted by Prof. Elyakim Kislev of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dr. Menelaos Apostolou of the University of Nicosia found that individuals fare better emotionally when they are single compared to enduring a poor or moderate-quality romantic partnership.

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What makes this study unique is that we followed participants over several years to see how their happiness shifted as their relationship status changed.

The study, published in "Personality and Individual Differences," analyzed data from 12,000 German participants over several years. The researchers tracked changes in emotional well-being as participants' relationship statuses evolved. While initial findings showed higher well-being when participants were in relationships, the quality of those relationships proved to be the decisive factor.

"The quality of the relationship is the deciding factor for our emotional health," explained Prof. Kislev. "If a relationship is poor or even just moderate in quality, an individual’s life satisfaction and positive emotions are significantly lower than if they had just stayed single." The research provides scientific backing to the notion that it is often better for emotional health to be single than to stay in an unfulfilling romance.

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The results clearly indicate that it isn’t simply about being coupled up. The quality of the relationship is the deciding factor for our emotional health.

While a high-quality partnership can indeed enhance overall happiness, the study emphasizes that settling for a less-than-ideal relationship carries a heavier psychological burden. The findings challenge the societal assumption that romantic partnership is the sole path to happiness, highlighting the emotional benefits of singlehood when compared to suboptimal relationships.

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If a relationship is poor or even just moderate in quality, an individual’s life satisfaction and positive emotions are significantly lower than if they had just stayed single.