Study shows: Depressed people have a similar chance of success as others when it comes to online dating

Study shows: Depressed people have a similar chance of success as others when it comes to online dating

Finding a partner for people with depression is only subjectively difficult

The psychological dating agency Gleichklang.d (https://www.gleichklang.de/)e conducted a study that examined the experience and prospects of success of people with depression when looking for a partner online. It turned out that depressed people feel higher internal barriers compared to non-depressed participants, but do not have a lower chance of successful contact.

Depressed users report anxiety and stress, but not less success

According to the survey, depressed users are more likely to feel anxious about finding a partner and commitment. They stated that they were less active in online communication and often found the search for a partner stressful. Nevertheless, they managed to make promising contacts just as often as non-depressed users. Guido F. Gebauer (https://www.gfgebauer.de/), psychologist and dating coach at Gleichklang, explains: “Although depressed singles encounter more internal obstacles when dating, they still have similar chances of establishing a contact.”

Online dating as a way to cope with depression? Different effects

Interestingly, 58.8% of depressed participants reported using online dating to alleviate their depressive symptoms. However, only 35.3% actually found online dating helpful, while 29.4% said it actually made their symptoms worse. Gebauer emphasizes that looking for a partner can have a positive effect on well-being, but there is also a risk of it worsening. It is therefore important that those affected be sensitive to how they react to the search for a partner.

Study structure: Clear distinction between depressed and non-depressed participants

The sample included 502 singles without depression and 136 with depression who were between 20 and 85 years old. The diagnosis of depression was made both by indicating the presence of a diagnosis of “depression” made by a psychiatrist or psychologist and using the internationally validated “Health Questionnaire for Patients”, whose threshold value of 10 was used. This thorough methodology ensured that only participants with either a clear diagnosis of depression or no depression were assigned to the appropriate groups.

Results in detail: Effects of depression on online dating

In the study, participants' experiences and behaviors were recorded through 34 questions on seven central components of online dating. The results show significant differences between depressed and non-depressed users in four of these components.

1. Fear of finding a partner

Depressed users had a significantly higher mean value in this component. Many of the depressed participants surveyed said they were afraid of rejection or disappointment and therefore felt insecure when it came to making new contacts.

2. Fear of commitment

Here too, depressed users showed higher values. They were more likely than non-depressed people to report having difficulties with commitment and intimacy, which was reflected in statements such as “I can't love” or “I'm afraid of closeness”.

3. Effort and strain

Depressed participants were significantly more likely to find the search for a partner to be stressful and stressful. This component reflected difficulties that many people, but particularly those who are severely depressed, have with online dating.

4. Online activity

Non-depressed users were more active in this component. They more often stated that they wrote first messages, made phone calls or had video conversations. In contrast, online dating activity was lower among depressed users.

No significant differences in other components

There were no significant differences between the depressed and non-depressed users in the components reliability, relationship avoidance and hunger for experience:

– Reliability: Depressed and non-depressed users did not differ significantly in how reliably they responded to messages or actually looked at new suggestions.

– Avoiding encounters: There were also no significant differences in terms of avoiding encounters, for example by postponing appointments, although depressed users tended to show higher values.

– Experiential Hunger: The data showed that both groups achieved similar scores in this component, with no significant differences. The hunger for experience, i.e. the motivation to look for sexual contacts, played a smaller role for depressed users, but without a statistically significant difference.

Impact of online dating on the well-being of depressed users

58.8% of depressed participants reported using online dating to alleviate depressive symptoms. However, the actual effect on well-being was mixed:

– Mood improvement: 35.3% of depressed participants reported that online dating improved their depressed mood.

– Deterioration in mood: 29.4%, however, stated that online dating worsened their depressive symptoms.

Gebauer therefore recommends that depressed people closely monitor the effects of online dating on their well-being and also seek professional support to treat their depression.

Prospects of success: Depressed and non-depressed users in comparison

Since all participants were still looking for a partner, it was not possible to determine a specific placement rate. According to Gebauer, the question asked about an incipient relationship or a promising contact still made it possible to assess whether the participants were on the road to success.

Despite the challenges described, depressed and non-depressed users did not differ significantly in their chances of success when looking for a partner online:

– Successful contacts: 34.8% of the non-depressed and 30.4% of the depressed participants stated that they had already developed a relationship or at least currently had a promising contact. This difference did not reach statistical significance, indicating that depressed people have similar opportunities despite their difficulties.

Conclusion and recommendations for depressed singles

The results suggest that depressed people experience higher internal barriers to finding a partner, but have the same chances of success as non-depressed singles. Gebauer explains: “The barriers that depressed singles experience when looking for a partner do not significantly reduce their chances of success.”

Gebauer also explains that Gleichklang.de has already had good experiences with its approach to successfully placing members with and without mental illnesses. Simultaneity specifically offers the opportunity to take mental illnesses into account in the profile in order to find potential partners who accept and respect these aspects. The actual placement rates, which are available in the Gleichklang blog, differ only slightly between people with and without mental illnesses.

“This result is in line with the findings of the current survey,” said Gebauer. He recommends that depressed singles be aware of their own limitations and seek professional support if necessary: ​​“It is important that those affected pay attention to whether the search for a partner is good for them and draw the right conclusions from this, whether to continue looking for a partner online or to temporarily suspend it,” says Gebauer.

Gebauer has published a three-part video series on finding a partner for depression on his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@GleichklangTeam), which contains further tips and information.

Gebauer will be happy to provide further information about the investigation upon request and is also available for interviews at any time.

Gleichklang.de is a psychologically oriented platform that has been offering its services on the Internet since 2006. Gleichklang is aimed at people with a social-ecological way of thinking. Gleichklang is also aimed at supporting people with special or rare characteristics in their search for a partner and friendship. There is only paid participation to ensure high file quality. Guido F. Gebauer is a psychologist, dating coach and press spokesman for Gleichklang and author of the dating guide "A Perfect Match? Online partner search from a psychological perspective".

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