Direct and indirect effects of relationship status through satisfaction with relationship status and fear of being single on Polish young adults' well-being

•Status satisfaction mediated the link between relationship status and well-being.•Fear of being single mediated the link between relationship status and well-being.•Status satisfaction and fear of being single also operated as mediators in serial.•Status satisfaction influenced fear of being single, which influenced well-being.

The current research tested a model with satisfaction with relationship status and fear of being single as mediators in serial of the linkage relationship status - well-being measured in terms of life satisfaction, emotional and psychological well-being, and depression. Results from a sample of 556 Polish participants aged 20 to 35 (M = 22.64, SD = 3.34) demonstrated that the link between relationship status and well-being was fully mediated by satisfaction with relationship status and fear of being single operating as separate mediators, as well as by satisfaction with relationship status and fear of being single as mediators in serial. In addition, the indirect effect of relationship status on well-being through satisfaction with relationship status was larger than the indirect effect of relationship status on well-being through satisfaction with relationship status and fear of being single operating in serial.