Analysis of dating categories reveals associations with depressive feelings in college students, indicating potential influences of status satisfaction and family ties.
This study explored the role of romantic relationships in mental health among college students who were in the stage of emerging adulthood. Specifically, we investigated five different dating categories: “in a relationship”, “breakup”, “singles, online dating”, “singles, offline dating”, and “singles, not dating” and their associations with depressive feelings. Moreover, the study examined how status satisfaction and family ties may influence these associations. We performed multiple linear regressions using the second wave of the COVID‐19 International Student Well‐Being Study ( N = 1709). Our results indicated that while partnered students reported fewer depressive feelings, singles could be happier than non‐singles when satisfaction with their relationship status was taken into account. Among singles, offline dating was associated with the best mental health outcomes, followed by not dating, and then online dating. However, offline dating was linked to increased depressive feelings among those who were more concerned about getting (re‐)infected with COVID‐19. Strong family ties were more beneficial for singles than for partnered students, particularly for who were not dating. This study uniquely incorporates the often‐overlooked groups of offline‐dating and non‐dating singles, alongside online daters, offering a comprehensive comparison of dating behaviors and their implications for mental health.
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Her et al. (2025) studied this question.
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