Singlehood–mental health associations in sexual and gender minority youth assigned female at birth: A longitudinal study

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined the relationships between multiple dimensions of singlehood and mental health, along with their moderators, in a diverse cohort of sexual and gender minority youth assigned female at birth ( N = 205, Mage = 19.5; 39% < 18 years old; 27% gender minority; 74% racial/ethnic minority) who were single (no romantic partnership) at least once across 7 visits (retention >90% at all visits). Singlehood dimensions included single status, length of singlehood, and transitions into and out of singlehood at each visit, as well as proportion of singlehood periods across all visits. At the between-person level, individuals with a higher proportion of singlehood periods across the study reported higher stress, anxiety, and depression. At the within-person level, while youth experienced increased depression when single, their depression and stress decreased as the length of singlehood increased. Additionally, fear of being single (FOBS) and perceived social support, each showing unique associations with mental health outcomes in this study, were included as moderators. Notably, only those with low to average (not high) FOBS experienced a reduction in mental health problems as singlehood length increased. Taken together, the findings shed light on the factors associated with mental health and well-being in single individuals from a vulnerable and marginalized population.