Romantic Relationship Status and Emerging Adult Well-Being: Accounting for Romantic Relationship Interest

Abstract

Using data from 744 unmarried emerging adults, we tested the associations between their romantic relationship status and well-being while accounting for single participants’ romantic relationship interest. Specifically, we compared the depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and loneliness of those who were (1) romantically involved, (2) single not/slightly interested in a romantic relationship, and (3) single very interested in a romantic relationship. The single very interested group reported greater depressive symptoms than those in the other two groups, who did not differ from each other. Emerging adults in the romantically involved group reported greater life satisfaction than both groups of single participants who did not differ from one another. Those in the romantically involved group reported less loneliness than both groups of single emerging adults, and the single not/slightly interested group reported less loneliness than the single very interested group. Results are discussed within the context of emerging adult romantic development.