The Danger of Long-Term Absence of Relationships Named 0 10

A prolonged absence of romantic relationships at a young age can negatively impact psychological well-being. This conclusion was reached by researchers from the University of Zurich, who analyzed data from over 17,000 young people from Germany and the United Kingdom. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JPSP).

All participants at the start of the study, at age 16, had no experience of romantic relationships and then completed annual surveys until the age of 29. The analysis showed that men, individuals with higher levels of education, and those who rated their well-being as lower at a young age tended to remain without a partner for the longest time. According to the authors, a focus on education and career is often accompanied by the postponement of personal relationships.

Over time, the differences between those who remained single for a long time and those who entered relationships later became increasingly noticeable. "Long-term singles" reported decreased life satisfaction, heightened feelings of loneliness, and by age 30, were more likely to exhibit symptoms of depression. These trends were observed in both men and women, although in adolescence, the differences between the groups were minimal.

At the same time, the onset of first romantic relationships was accompanied by an improvement in well-being: participants reported increased life satisfaction and decreased feelings of loneliness in both the short and long term.