The fear of being single, feelings of loneliness, and the ability to forgive are psychological variables that may play a significant role in the quality and stability of interpersonal relationships. Contemporary research highlights the importance of these factors for both the motivation to build close relationships and the ability to maintain interpersonal commitment.
The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between the fear of being single, feelings of loneliness, the disposition to forgive, and commitment to interpersonal relationships. The study was conducted on a sample of 300 participants – 78% of whom were female and 22% male, aged between 18 and 55 years (M=25.46; SD=5.52). Polish adaptations of the Fear of Being Single Scale (FBSS), the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA), the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), and the Interpersonal Commitment Questionnaire (KZI) were used.
The results indicated that both the fear of being single and the disposition to forgive others are significant positive predictors of commitment to interpersonal relationships. The fear of being single promotes greater engagement but is also associated with higher levels of feelings of loneliness, which may suggest a compensatory nature of efforts to strengthen relationships. Furthermore, the disposition to forgive enhances relational bonds and the perceived importance of relationships, whereas feelings of loneliness – particularly in the dimension of lacking social contact – as well as difficulties in self-forgiveness and forgiving situations, reduce the level of interpersonal commitment.