Avoidant personality disorder

• When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume it’s because single people have insecurities that make it difficult for them to find a partner or maintain a relationship.
• Our study shows a crucial factor may be a person’s attachment style.

Singlehood is on the rise

• Singlehood is on the rise around the world.
• In Canada, single status among young adults aged 25 to 29 has increased from 32% in 1981 to 61% in 2021.
• The number of people living solo has increased from 1.7 million people in 1981 to 4.4 million in 2021.

What does attachment theory say about relationships?

• Attachment theory suggests our relationships with others are shaped by our degree of “anxiety” and “avoidance”.
• Attachment anxiety is a type of insecurity that leads people to feel anxious about relationships and worry about abandonment.
• Read more:
  Is attachment theory actually important for romantic relationships?

Single people represent a diverse group of secure and insecure people

In our latest research, our team of social and clinical psychologists examined single people’s attachment styles and how they related to their happiness and wellbeing. We carried out two studies, one of 482 younger single people and the other of 400 older long-term singles. We found overall 78% were categorised as insecure, with the other 22% being secure. Looking at our results more closely, we found four distinct subgroups of singles:
secure singles are relatively comfortable with intimacy and closeness in relationships (22%)
anxious singles question whether they are loved by others and worry about being rejected (37%)
avoidant singles are uncomfortable getting close to others and prioritise their independence (23% of younger singles and 11% of older long-term singles)
fearful singles have heightened anxiety about abandonment, but are simultaneously uncomfortable with intimacy and closeness (16% of younger singles and 28% of older long-term singles).

Insecure singles find singlehood challenging, but secure singles are thriving

• Our findings also revealed these distinct subgroups of singles have distinct experiences and outcomes.
• Secure singles are happy being single, have a greater number of non-romantic relationships, and better relationships with family and friends.

• However, they also have fewer friends and close relationships, and are generally less satisfied with these relationships than secure singles.
• Avoidant singles also report less meaning in life and tend to be less happy compared to secure singles.

It’s not all doom and gloom

• First, although most singles in our samples were insecure (78%), a sizeable number were secure and thriving (22%).
• Being in an unhappy relationship is linked to poorer life outcomes than being single.
• Our studies are some of the first to examine the diversity in attachment styles among single adults.

• Geoff Macdonald receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
• Yuthika Girme receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.