The Polish adaptation and further validation of the Fear of Being Single Scale (FBSS)

Relationships on a Pedestal: The Associations Between Relationship Pedestal Beliefs, Fear of Being Single, and Life Satisfaction in Single and Coupled Individuals

The fear of being single can put people at risk for worse personal and relational well-being. The current research moves beyond individual-deficit models by exploring whether endorsement of relationship pedestal beliefs-the belief that people need to be in a relationship to be truly happy-is associated with greater fear of being single. Across four studies (N = 641 single individuals and 256 coupled individuals), single individuals' endorsement of relationship pedestal beliefs was associated with greater fear of being single, and greater fear of being single was associated with lower daily life satisfaction (Studies 1-4). Coupled individuals' endorsement of relationship pedestal beliefs was also associated with greater fear of being single, and greater fear of being single was associated with lower daily life and relationship satisfaction (Study 4). These findings highlight how people's endorsement of societal beliefs that place relationships on a pedestal may contribute to fears about singlehood.

Coping or Thriving? Reviewing Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Societal Factors Associated With Well-Being in Singlehood From a Within-Group Perspective

Singlehood, defined as not being in a romantic relationship, is becoming increasingly common worldwide. Despite this, research on singlehood has not received remotely equivalent research attention as romantic relationships. Well-being research that has explicitly included singles has focused on whether coupled versus single people are more satisfied with their lives. However, these between-group comparisons have not attended to within-group variability among singles that can point to when and for whom singlehood is associated with thriving. In this review, we document findings from the emerging field of singlehood studies to highlight what is and is not known about factors that are associated with the well-being of single individuals from a within-group perspective. Our review examines (a) intrapersonal factors (characteristics of the individual), (b) interpersonal experiences (qualities of one's social relationships and experiences), and (c) societal influences (features related to one's broader social or cultural context) related to well-being in singlehood. We conclude by offering future directions for the conceptualization of and research on singlehood with the goal of promoting a thorough and inclusive perspective.

The Chinese adaptation and validation of the Fear of Being Single Scale for college students

The Fear of Being Single Scale (FOBS) is a widely used measure of the fear of being single, but its applicability to Chinese populations has not been established. This study aimed to translate the FOBS into Chinese and examine its psychometric properties among Chinese college students. The study consisted of three phases with three samples (total n = 1768). In the first phase (Sample 1: n = 571), an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) supported a unidimensional structure with 6 items for the Chinese version of the FOBS (C-FOBS). In the second phase (Sample 2: n = 692), a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) validated the factor structure and indicated good model fit. The C-FOBS also demonstrated good internal consistency, split-half reliability, criterion validity, and cross-gender invariance. In the third phase (Sample 3: n = 505), the C-FOBS showed acceptable test-retest reliability over a two-week interval. The results suggest that the C-FOBS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the fear of being single among Chinese college students.

Social network pressure on women and men to enter a romantic relationship and fear of being single

The romantic dyad is emphasized in society, which leads to the question of whether single (non-partnered) adults in emerging adulthood perceive pressure from their social network members to become partnered. The first purpose of this study was to examine the degree of pressure to enter a relationship that single (unattached) men and women perceive that they receive from two social networks (parents/family and friends) and whether there is a gender difference in this degree of pressure to partner. The second purpose was to examine how social pressure to partner is associated with the fear of being single (FOBS). A sample of 616 single (unpartnered) adults ages 18 to 30, primarily from the U.S., reported some degree of network pressure to enter a relationship on average. Greater pressure to become partnered was perceived from parents/family than from friends. Women scored higher than men on an index of social pressure from parents/family to enter a relationship and also higher on an index measuring FOBS. Social network pressure to enter a relationship was associated with a greater FOBS for both men and women.