Attachment styles predict experiences of singlehood and well-being, study finds

A new study published in the Journal of Personality examined the link between attachment profiles, singlehood, and psychological well-being.

Despite the universal desire for romantic companionship, a growing number of people are choosing to live alone, with a significant increase in solo living from 7.6% in 1967 to 14.4% in 2020 in the United States. Further, around 35% of U.S. adults are not in a romantic relationship.

In their new study, Christopher A. Pepping and his colleagues examined why some people remain single through the lens of attachment theory. While attachment theory is often referred to in explaining relationship dynamics, it has rarely been applied to singlehood.

Study 1 included 482 single adults (from 5 data sets) between ages 18 to 68. Participants completed measures assessing attachment style, individual differences (e.g., self-esteem, desire for a relationship; e.g., “On the whole, I am satisfied with myself”, “I am single because I cannot be bothered pursuing a relationship”), and well-being (e.g., relatedness, competency; “I feel loved and cared about”, “I feel like a competent person”)

Indeed, four unique profiles were identified among participants: secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful-avoidant. Each group demonstrated distinct characteristics in how they experience singlehood and psychosocial well-being. Secure singles reported the highest levels of psychological well-being, including life satisfaction, social support availability, and lower fear of being single.

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Anxious singles faced challenges such as higher neuroticism, lower self-esteem, and significant fears regarding being single. Their psychological well-being was lower compared to secure singles. Avoidant singles showed better outcomes than anxious and fearful-avoidant individuals but reported feelings of detachment and less interest in forming close relationships.

Fearful-avoidant singles had the poorest outcomes, with high levels of emotional distress and the lowest levels of well-being among all groups.

The second study replicated and extended the findings of the first study using a sample of 400 single adults aged between 25 to 83 years, who had been single for a minimum of three years. Participants once again completed measures of attachment style, individual differences (e.g., hurt proneness; “My feelings are easily hurt”), and well-being (e.g., “My life has a clear sense of purpose”).

The findings corroborated those of the first study. Secure singles again showed the best psychosocial well-being, showing less fear of being single and greater satisfaction with non-romantic relationships. Anxious singles continued to report high desire for romantic relationships, significant social and emotional regulation issues, and higher rates of loneliness and depression.

Avoidant singles appeared to maintain their independence with less emotional distress but still experienced lower satisfaction in personal relationships than secure singles. Fearful-avoidant singles had even more pronounced difficulties, with high emotional dysregulation, loneliness, and lower well-being overall.

Across both studies, the findings suggest that attachment styles significantly influence how individuals experience singlehood, with the consistency of the four profiles across different samples and time frames highlighting a robust pattern.

A key limitation noted by the authors is the cross-sectional design, which precludes causal inferences about the relationships between attachment style and singlehood.

The study, “Diversity in singlehood experiences: Testing an attachment theory model of sub-groups of singles”, was authored by Christopher A. Pepping, Yuthika U. Girme, Timothy J. Cronin, and Geoff MacDonald.