The Conflicting Associations of Filial Piety Beliefs With Chinese Singles' Well‐Being

ABSTRACT Singlehood is becoming a more visible lifestyle option in many nations worldwide. Despite this, there has been little research on the cultural factors that influence well‐being in singlehood. Filial piety, a key virtue within Chinese culture, emphasizes respect, obedience, and care toward one's elders. Filial piety may be associated with lower well‐being in singlehood as individuals may perceive their singlehood status as a failure to fulfill familial marital expectations. This negative link between filial piety and singles' well‐being may be partly offset by a closer connection with family (and thus higher well‐being) that is also associated with endorsement of filial piety. We investigated the associations of Chinese singles' authoritarian and reciprocal filial piety beliefs with family life satisfaction and well‐being in singlehood (i.e., desire for a partner, satisfaction with singlehood, fear of being single). Data from two samples (total N = 1655) revealed a statistical suppression effect suggesting that an overall negative relation between reciprocal filial piety and well‐being in singlehood was partly offset by filial piety's relation to higher satisfaction with family life. We discuss the notion that pressure for singles to partner may often be embedded in relationships that simultaneously make singles' lives better.