Is it Really Happily Ever After? Singles are Just as Happy As or Even Happier than Married Couples by Xantha Leatham, Deputy Science Editor

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Marriagedoes not make people any happier or healthier than singles, research suggests. Scientistsexamined the physical and mental health of married people and those who neversaid ‘I do.’ Getting married showed ‘little evidence’ of improving well-being inthe long term, University of California researchers said.

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Dr BellaDePaulo, who led the study, expands on the findings in her book Single atHeart: The Power, Freedom, And Heart-Filling Joy of Single Life. A study by theauthor, which was published in 2016, says: 'The media, and even scientificjournals, are filled with claims that marriage is good for health and well-being. Scientistsexamined the physical and mental health of married people and those who neversaid ‘I do’. A closer look at the research, though, with an eye on themethodological biases, shows that such claims often misrepresent or exaggeratethe results of the research.' 

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Shecontinued: 'Examples of research on suicide, depression, loneliness, physicalhealth, and happiness are reviewed. In cross-sectional research, people whostay single typically have very similar outcomes to those who are currentlymarried. 'In longitudinal research, there is little evidence that gettingmarried results in lastingly improved health or well-being.'

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