Relationship Status and Psychological Well-being: Initial Evidence for the Moderating Effects of Commitment Readiness

Past research has suggested that the association between romantic relationship status (i.e., single vs. coupled) and well-being can be dependent on different aspects of an individual’s personal life. In the current research, we examined whether commitment readiness (i.e., the subjective sense that the current time is “right” to be in a committed romantic relationship) moderates the link between current relationship status and psychological well-being. With correlational data obtained from three independent samples (two from Singapore, one cross-cultural comparison between Singapore and USA), we found a significant moderating effect of commitment readiness. Coupled individuals higher in readiness reported greater levels of well-being than single individuals, whereas coupled individuals lower in readiness reported lower levels of well-being compared to their single counterparts. Implications regarding the role of commitment readiness in well-being are discussed.