Relationship Transitions and Loneliness in Midlife and Older Adulthood

TL;DR

This study explores how relationship changes affect loneliness in middle-aged and older adults, finding that moving in with a partner can reduce loneliness, especially for older men who also marry.

Contribution

The study introduces the importance of considering the co-occurrence of relationship events in understanding their impact on loneliness.

Findings

Moving in with a partner was linked to reduced loneliness, especially for older men who also married.

Marriage among cohabiting individuals and separation did not significantly affect loneliness.

Propensity score matching revealed differences in loneliness likelihood based on relationship events.

Abstract

Prior research suggests that being married or living with a partner is linked to a lower likelihood of loneliness, with some studies indicating a stronger effect for men. Moreover, because social networks and their perception change across the lifespan, the impact of relationship status on loneliness may differ between middle-aged and older men and women. We investigated how three major relationship events—separation, moving in with a partner, and marriage—affect loneliness and whether these effects vary by gender and age. We also examined instances in which individuals both moved in and married within the same timeframe. Using data from 4,768 U.S. participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we applied propensity score matching to compare two-year changes in loneliness likelihood between individuals experiencing a relationship event and matched controls whose relationship status remained stable. Results showed that moving in with a partner was associated with a reduced likelihood of feeling lonely, particularly among older men who also married their partner within the same period. In contrast, marriage among already cohabiting individuals and separation were not linked to significant changes in loneliness. These findings highlight the protective role of relationship involvement against loneliness in midlife and older adulthood and underscore the importance of considering the co-occurrence of relationship events.