Despite the challenges of marriage and motherhood, a new report from the Family Institute suggests that married mothers are happier than childless, unmarried counterparts for several reasons, including more regular opportunities to “kiss, hug, and snuggle.”
Jean Twenge, professors of psychology at San Diego State University, professors of Jenet Erickson at Brigham Young University, and IFS researchers Wendy Wang and Brad Wilcox, “there are more likely to report that you can feel unmarried connections and meaning,” said Professor Jean Twenge at Brigham Young University, who was released in a report released this month under the title “Marriain, Morthuit, Morthuit, Mother’s Welleving.”
“They are also less likely to be lonely and more likely to receive physical affection. Both are strong predictors of happiness. Mothers are more likely to find meaning and purpose in life.”
While raising a family has many challenges, including increased stress and reduced personal time, researchers argue that “there is no question that marriage and motherhood are linked to the prosperity of women who thrive in many other ways.”
“In addition, marriage shapes and expands the experience of maternality,” the researcher wrote.
The findings stem from responses provided by 3,000 US women aged 25-55 in a Women’s Happiness Survey conducted by YouGov between March 1 and 12. The data reports that almost twice as many married mothers are “very happy” compared to unmarried women.
Married women were also more likely to say life was more enjoyable in most cases than unmarried women. Approximately 47% of married mothers and 43% of married children-free women say they have a life of most or always fun, compared to 40% of unmarried mothers and 34% of unmarried children-free women.
Married women experienced constant loneliness compared to their unmarried counterparts. Only 11% of married mothers and 9% of married women without children report feeling almost or constantly alone. Approximately 23% of unmarried mothers and 20% of unmarried women without children reported feeling that way.
“Contrary to the general narrative that marriage involves social isolation, these findings show that married women are less lonely. Having children may mean less time with friends, marriage, and children.
This study highlighted the important role that physical touch plays in women’s emotional and social health and how love from spouses and children is linked to “relaxation, increased trust, increased safety, and increased emotional resilience in multiple studies.”
“Touch elicits the release of oxytocin in the brain, promotes relaxation and reduces stress while reducing stress while reducing stress. The lack of physical touch is associated with a sense of loneliness and isolation,” the researchers point out.
Approximately 47% of married mothers and 49% of childless married women reported high levels of physical touch in this study. Only 23% of unmarried mothers and 13% of unmarried women without children reported the same.
Data show that 58% of married women with children and 61% of married women without children often report being hugged or kissed, while only 36% of unmarried mothers and 18% of unmarried women without children say the same thing.
“More frequent touches are itself an important predictor of increased happiness,” the researchers point out. “Only 7% of women reporting low-level touches are very happy with their lives. In contrast, 22% of women reporting high-level touches are very happy.”
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