Study finds some forms of self-love link to stronger romantic bonds
Mar 2nd 2026
A German team reports that active self-care and accepting yourself relate to closer, more passionate and committed relationships, while mere self-awareness does not, and self-compassion best predicts overall relationship happiness.
- Self-care and self-acceptance predicted higher intimacy, passion and commitment in relationships.
- Self-contact did not significantly predict any component of romantic love.
- Self-compassion was the strongest personal trait linked to overall relationship satisfaction.
- The study surveyed 460 mostly young, well educated adults using self-report questionnaires at one point in time.
- Researchers note the cross-sectional design and self-report measures prevent causal claims and call for longitudinal and intervention studies.