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Imagine that being single is simpler? A recent study indicates that marriage may provide individuals an unexpected enhancement in health and happiness.

Scholars from the University of Michigan and Singapore Management University investigated nearly 5,000 adults in the U.S. and Japan to understand how being single or married influences their well-being. Individuals without partners in both nations showed lower life satisfaction and health compared to their married peers. Married Americans reported the highest levels of familial support, which contributed positively to their well-being, according to the study.

Conversely, both single Americans and Japanese individuals experienced elevated family-related stress, but this pressure only diminished happiness among Americans, not the Japanese. Overall, marriage, family support, and stress influence individuals’ well-being variably depending on cultural context, stated study co-author Robin Edelstein, U-M professor of psychology.

Being unmarried continues to bear considerable stigma and familial expectations, potentially leading to diminished health and life satisfaction globally. Conversely, marriage has historically been viewed as a fundamental element of societal stability and personal fulfillment.

The researchers amalgamated data from two extensive, nationally representative surveys of mid- and later-life adults in both the U.S. and Japan. This data encompasses evaluations of psychological and social factors linked to health and well-being spanning nearly twenty years.

The research, which included individuals who were married or never married, sampled 3,505 married and 308 single Americans, alongside 710 married and 164 single Japanese adults.

Single individuals in both societies, based on the findings, reported poorer physical health and lower life satisfaction than their married counterparts. Edelstein noted that the gap was partially attributed to family support and strain, but the effects varied across cultures: while family strain adversely influenced well-being in the American sample, it held no significant impact for Japanese participants.

In a similar vein, family support was positively associated with well-being in the U.S., but demonstrated weaker and inconsistent effects in Japan. Increased interaction with family did not always result in more emotionally supportive relationships, the study suggests.

“Single individuals may be more ingrained in family routines, yet they might not always experience emotional support and may even be more susceptible to criticism or unmet expectations, particularly in emotionally charged areas such as romantic relationships or life planning,” Edelstein expressed.

Unsurprisingly, single Americans frequently report feelings of isolation and a lack of support, particularly regarding emotional guidance and comfort. The heightened marital pressure faced by single Americans may exacerbate family dynamics, resulting in more hostile interactions and increased tensions.

While Japanese singles did note significant family strain, its influence on their well-being was unexpectedly minimal.

“This may indicate adaptive coping mechanisms developed by Japanese singles, such as disengaging from family pressure or seeking alternative sources of emotional support, which mitigate the long-term effects of family strain,” explained lead author Lester Sim, assistant professor of psychology at Singapore Management University.

The normalization of marital expectations in Japan may diminish individuals’ sensitivity to family demands, enabling them to preserve family harmony despite personal dissatisfaction, as shown in the research.

“Familial strain may have a cumulative effect on well-being, intensifying over a prolonged duration and potentially leading to regret or loneliness later in life that ultimately impacts single adults’ health and life satisfaction,” Edelstein remarked.

The study did not encompass data concerning cohabitation, which she acknowledged as a limitation.

“I suspect that individuals who are partnered but not married would fall somewhere in between,” she noted. “They gain the advantages of partnership, relating to social capital, support, and companionship, yet they might still miss out on the social status associated with marriage. This distinction might hold particular significance in Asian cultures, where cohabitation is on the rise but is still viewed more negatively than in the U.S.”

The results were published in the journal Personal Relationships.

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