Single by choice? Assessing and understanding voluntary singlehood among mature gay men.
This study investigated what it means for mature gay men to be voluntary single from the perspective of both assessment and subjective experience. A convenience sample of 94 self-identified single gay men from a large midwestern city, ages 35 and over, completed a structured questionnaire that included the 15-item Adaptation to Single Status Measure. Twenty of these men also participated in semi-structured life-history interviews. Descriptive, item, and scale analyses indicated a discrepancy between the perception of oneself as "single by choice" and acceptance of and satisfaction with single status. Qualitative data indicated that voluntary singlehood is neither a salient identity nor an expression of primary control; rather, it is an idiosyncratic "narrative strategy" and a form of secondary control that preserves ego integrity. These findings are discussed with respect to their implications for the creation and maintenance of healthy, happy, single lifestyles and communities.
Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 870 Broadway St., Ste. 1, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, USA. Andrew_Hostetler@uml.edu
Andrew J
AJ
Hostetler
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004532:Ego; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires