Dissolution of Non-cohabiting Relationships and Changes in Life Satisfaction and Mental Health

Abstract

This study investigates how individuals’ life satisfaction and depression are affected by the dissolution of a steady non-cohabiting intimate relationship. Previous studies have focused more on the consequences of divorce and less on the influence of non-cohabiting relationships on the well-being of the individual. The data for this study were taken from pairfam, a large-scale German panel survey, and were used to estimate fixed-effects panel regression models and impact functions to identify the overall effect of dissolution and trajectories after separation. The study sample comprised 2,631 individuals who were observed over the course of 11,219 partnership years. Based on the results of this study, three main findings were reported. First, the dissolution of a non-cohabiting relationship led to a significant decline in mental health and life satisfaction. Second, the trajectories after dissolution suggest that the decline was only temporary, showing readjustment after 1 year. Third, gender differences were identified, suggesting worse consequences for men who experienced a significant decline in both dimensions and did not readjust in life satisfaction until several years after the dissolution. For women, decreases were only found for life satisfaction, but quick readjustments were observed.

Life Events and Personality Change: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Moving Back to the Parental Home in Times of COVID-19: Consequences for Students’ Life Satisfaction

“…Finally, more studies on the potential long-term effects on life satisfaction resulting from returns to the parental home are needed. Individuals adapt to major life-course events, and changes in life satisfaction often show a rapid adjustment to baseline levels [ 84 , 85 , 86 ]. After an initial decrease in life satisfaction, young adults could adjust to their new living arrangement when challenges and conflicts between parents and returnees decline over time.…”

Trajectory of Depressive Symptoms in the Context of Romantic Relationship Breakup: Characterizing the “Natural Course” of Response and Recovery in Young Adults

“…Yet, in the context of divorce, set-point theory and related evidence suggest that the emotional distress brought about by the relationship’s dissolution dissipates within 5 years (Asselmann & Specht, 2022a, 2022b). In some cases, the years following separation are characterized by improved mental health in absolute, and not merely relative, terms (Preetz, 2022). This suggests that individuals largely find ways to cope with and adapt to divorce-induced distress, and that this process takes place in the time frame of years.…”