Content without a partner? What studies find about happy singles
People who see single life as a chance to grow are more satisfied, according to a new study. Psychologist Mark Travers sums up recent research in Forbes – including on the pressure to find a partner.
Graphic: TERRA WORLD NEWS (own graphic based on the sources listed)
Being single need not make people unhappy – what matters, it seems, is how they experience it. Psychologist Mark Travers makes this point in an article for Forbes (Oct. 28, 2026). Among other sources, he draws on a study published in 2026 in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin: singles who saw this phase of life as an opportunity for personal growth were more satisfied with being single and with their lives overall. They also worried less about staying single.
According to the study, this growth came mainly from time spent with friends or family. Solo activities also helped, but the effect was short-lived. Another 2026 study, which according to Travers followed thousands of people over several years, found that participants felt emotionally better while single than in poor or only moderately good relationships. A study in Frontiers in Psychology (2025) showed that singles under little pressure about their relationship status had the highest well-being. Those who felt strong pressure to find a partner while not dating reported more loneliness and markedly lower well-being.
The findings describe associations, not clear causes, and the Forbes article gives no sample sizes. Travers also points to research on young adults linking long-term singlehood to declining life satisfaction and growing loneliness. What matters most, by this account, is less relationship status than how socially connected people are and how much outside pressure they feel.
This article is for information only and is not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. Figures as of the date stated.