New Study Shows Dating Apps Can Affect Mental Health

A study from The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows that there is a link between dating apps and a negative impact on mental health.

The research showed that there was a link between dating app usage and increased experiences of loneliness, dissatisfaction with life, and feeling excluded from the world, according to Scripps News.

This disconnect has been something that dating app users have experienced and lamented about over the years – specifically, that these platforms are meant to connect people but many of these types of connections can feel temporary or pointless because of behavior like ghosting. Part of the challenge with finding romantic partners on dating apps is that there is an overwhelming amount of choice, and many users feel tempted to keep looking, even when they meet someone they are interested in, which contributes to more behavior like ghosting.

In fact, many users are messaging several matches at a time to keep their options open. As a result, this study points out, connections made on dating apps can feel “empty, fleeting and insecure.”

Still, dating apps have become the most popular way to meet people, and have expanded opportunities for dating. A recent Pew study found that one in five relationships began on a dating app, and 30 percent of adults said they have used them at least once. Many singles opt to be active on more than one dating app to increase their chances of matching.

Dating apps are also offering more enticing features, often for an additional price, like Tinder’s SuperLikes and Boosts which bumps a profile to the top of the list for viewing by potential matches. One of the challenges for singles is getting noticed, and tools like these can improve their chances for matching.

Researchers also found during a study conducted in 2021 that low rates of matches from potential partners, especially for men, contributed to feelings of anxiety and depression. About 50 percent of matches do not message back, so users who are interested feel consistently “disliked” or ignored, which contributes to the problem. Ghosting also contributed to a decline in mental health for dating app users, according to the study.

"The studies are interesting on [dating apps]," Steve Carleton, a professor of social work at the University of Denver, told Scripps News. "If you're someone that struggles with feelings of rejection and feeling left out and not being accepted, these apps can only make those narratives in your head worse because there is a tremendous amount of rejection and people ghosting you and not responding."