Current and Future Paths in Research on Singlehood

This chapter presents current and future research paths in the domain of singlehood. The chapter begins with an exploration of issues related to conceptualizations and definitions of being single. A brief overview of prior research pertaining to different reasons for singlehood is then provided. The breadth of outcomes related to singlehood is examined, including loneliness and mental health, followed by recent research on the fear of being single and the contribution of attachment theory. Each of these thematic threads contains indications of past, current, and future research trends.