Ann Arbor Times

A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan and Singapore Management University has found that marriage is linked to higher levels of health and happiness compared to being single. The research analyzed data from nearly 5,000 adults in the United States and Japan, focusing on how marital status influences well-being.

The study included both married and never-married participants: 3,505 married and 308 single Americans, along with 710 married and 164 single Japanese adults. Researchers assessed psychological and social factors associated with health and life satisfaction over almost two decades.

Findings indicate that single individuals in both countries reported lower physical health and life satisfaction than their married counterparts. Married Americans experienced the highest levels of family support, which was associated with improved well-being. However, single adults in both nations felt more stress related to family expectations, though this stress only significantly reduced happiness among Americans.

Robin Edelstein, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and co-author of the study, noted that cultural differences play a role in how familial support and strain affect well-being. "Single individuals may be more embedded in family routines, but they may not always feel emotionally supported and may even be more vulnerable to criticism or unmet expectations, particularly in emotionally charged domains like romantic partnership or life planning," Edelstein said.

The study found that while familial strain negatively affected well-being for American singles, it did not have a significant impact on Japanese singles. Lester Sim, lead author and assistant professor at Singapore Management University, explained: "This may reflect adaptive coping strategies developed by Japanese singles, such as distancing themselves from family pressure or seeking alternative forms of emotional support, which buffer the longitudinal effects of familial strain."

Researchers suggest that normalization of marital expectations in Japan could desensitize individuals to family demands while maintaining harmony within families despite personal dissatisfaction.

Edelstein also pointed out limitations in the research due to its exclusion of data about cohabitation: "My sense is that partnered but not married people would fall somewhere in between. They get the benefits of partnership, in terms of social capital, support and companionship, but they might still not get the benefit of the social status that comes with marriage. This difference might be particularly important in Asian cultures, where cohabitation is becoming more common but is still perceived more negatively than in the U.S."

The results were published in Personal Relationships (DOI: 10.1111/pere.70027).