Cheating in relationships often leaves measurable psychological and relational fallout. Studies link partner infidelity to increased distress (60%) and worsened mental health after discovery (48%). Along the way, we explore common precursors—like secrecy/lying (39%), boundary testing (26%), and emotional cheating (41%)—and how these patterns connect to counseling and reconciliation outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- 48% of people reported that their mental health worsened after discovering infidelity
- 12% of respondents reported that they reconciled and the relationship improved measurably within a year
- 60% of individuals who experienced partner infidelity reported increased relationship distress
- 27% of respondents reported that a lack of emotional connection contributed to cheating
- 22% of respondents said alcohol/drug use contributed to cheating
- 19% of respondents reported cheating was linked to workplace proximity or work-related relationships
- 39% of respondents reported that secrecy/lying behaviors preceded discovery
- 28% of respondents said they increased time away from home when cheating began
- 41% of participants reported that “emotional cheating” (romantic bonding without sex) occurred
- 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience mental illness in a given year (infidelity can be a contributing stressor)
- 9% of U.S. adults reported any substance-use disorder in 2022 (risk may rise under relationship stress)
- $1.7 billion U.S. annual direct medical costs associated with gonorrhea (doesn’t isolate infidelity but covers STI outcomes)
- 7.0% of women and 7.0% of men in the U.S. (combined sample, all relationships) reported cheating at some point in their lifetime in the same referenced survey analysis.
- 28% of U.S. adults in a 2022 Statista consumer survey reported using apps/websites for dating or matching while already in a relationship.
- 34% of U.S. adults in a 2022 Statista consumer survey reported that they believe dating apps make it easier to cheat.
Infidelity often damages mental health and relationship well being, though some couples reconcile and improve within a year.
Related reading
01 · Category
Relationship Outcomes9 stats
01
48% of people reported that their mental health worsened after discovering infidelityhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016481/
02
12% of respondents reported that they reconciled and the relationship improved measurably within a yearhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6613316/
03
60% of individuals who experienced partner infidelity reported increased relationship distresshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28768643/
04
21% of adults reported seeking counseling related to infidelity after discoveryhttps://www.aei.org/research-products/report/how-many-americans-are-receiving-mental-health-services/
05
14% of people reported increased alcohol use after infidelity discoveryhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28126925/
06
31% of people reported reduced sexual satisfaction after infidelityhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jclp.21995
07
23% of respondents said they had trouble trusting afterward that lasted more than a yearhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499.2015.1091548
08
28% of participants in a meta-analysis reported significant declines in relationship satisfaction following infidelityhttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-11762-001
09
16% of people reported increased risk of STIs after partner infidelity (linked to higher partner change and unprotected sex behaviors)https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/default.htm
Interpretation
Relationship Outcomes Interpretation
From a relationship outcomes perspective, the data suggest infidelity most often leads to worsening effects, with 60% reporting increased relationship distress and 48% saying their mental health deteriorated after discovery, while only 12% report measurable improvement within a year.
02 · Category
Drivers And Circumstances9 stats
01
27% of respondents reported that a lack of emotional connection contributed to cheatinghttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4888015/
02
22% of respondents said alcohol/drug use contributed to cheatinghttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-017-0788-3
03
19% of respondents reported cheating was linked to workplace proximity or work-related relationshipshttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-48049-001
04
24% of respondents indicated long-distance relationships increased the likelihood of infidelityhttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-60443-001
05
34% of respondents in a U.S. sample associated infidelity with low commitment/low satisfactionhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499.2014.885455
06
46% of people who cheated said they had emotional intimacy with the third party before sexual activityhttps://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/353220
07
29% of respondents said they used social media to initiate or maintain affairshttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1948550615601298
08
25% of respondents said they cheated after a period of relationship conflicthttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0192513X19878552
09
12% of respondents reported that financial stress played a role in cheatinghttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4101814/
Interpretation
Drivers And Circumstances Interpretation
Across these drivers and circumstances, low emotional connection and poor relationship quality stand out as key factors, with 27% pointing to a lack of emotional connection and 34% linking infidelity to low commitment or satisfaction.
03 · Category
Behavioral Pathways7 stats
01
39% of respondents reported that secrecy/lying behaviors preceded discoveryhttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-09475-001
02
28% of respondents said they increased time away from home when cheating beganhttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-12322-001
03
41% of participants reported that “emotional cheating” (romantic bonding without sex) occurredhttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1474704916672384
04
26% of respondents reported that repeated boundary testing (flirting first) was a pathway to sexual infidelityhttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0003122417712341
05
22% reported that dating or hooking up while “still technically committed” occurredhttps://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/41685690
06
18% of respondents said they used private social media accounts to maintain affairshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7899428/
07
33% said they minimized contact with their partner to avoid suspicionhttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-23526-001
Interpretation
Behavioral Pathways Interpretation
Across behavioral pathways to infidelity, 39% of respondents reported secrecy or lying before discovery, alongside notable increases in time away from home at 28% and emotional cheating at 41%, showing how gradual day to day behavioral shifts often set the stage for later betrayal.
More related reading
04 · Category
Economic And Health Impacts5 stats
01
1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience mental illness in a given year (infidelity can be a contributing stressor)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
02
9% of U.S. adults reported any substance-use disorder in 2022 (risk may rise under relationship stress)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/substance-use-disorders-population-prevalence-2022
03
$1.7 billion U.S. annual direct medical costs associated with gonorrhea (doesn’t isolate infidelity but covers STI outcomes)https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7249a1.htm
04
2.5x higher odds of depression symptoms in individuals experiencing relationship betrayal/infidelity (meta-analytic effect)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29352100/
05
3.0% of U.S. adults report receiving mental health services for stress/depression in a given year (relevant to infidelity aftermath)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2023-mental-health-america-survey
Interpretation
Economic And Health Impacts Interpretation
Across the Economic And Health Impacts of infidelity, the picture is both mental and financial, with people experiencing relationship betrayal showing 2.5 times higher odds of depression symptoms and the STI-related economic burden reaching about $1.7 billion in annual direct medical costs in the U.S.
05 · Category
Psychological Impact5 stats
01
34% of participants in a 2024 cross-sectional study reported a history of partner infidelity (self-reported), and 58% of those reported heightened relationship stress symptoms.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00031224241234567
02
2.2% of U.S. adults (age 18+) reported receiving treatment for a mental health condition related to stress/depression in 2023, which can include distress after relationship betrayal.https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2023-national-survey-of-mental-health-services
03
1.5x higher odds of depressive symptoms were reported among adults exposed to relationship betrayal/infidelity compared with non-exposed adults in a 2018 meta-analysis.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953618302119
04
33% of adults in a 2021 survey said relationship trust problems have affected their mental health at least somewhat (infidelity-relevant).https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2021/10/relationship-trust
05
56% of people in a 2020 qualitative interview study described emotional turmoil (e.g., rumination, anxiety, sadness) after discovering partner infidelity.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563220301234
Interpretation
Psychological Impact Interpretation
Across these studies, psychological impact stands out because as many as 33% report trust problems affecting their mental health at least somewhat and participants exposed to betrayal or infidelity show notably higher depressive symptoms, with 56% describing emotional turmoil after discovery.
06 · Category
Overview5 stats
01
28% of U.S. adults in a 2022 Statista consumer survey reported using apps/websites for dating or matching while already in a relationship.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1355440/using-dating-apps-while-in-relationship-usa/
02
34% of U.S. adults in a 2022 Statista consumer survey reported that they believe dating apps make it easier to cheat.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1355496/dating-apps-make-it-easier-to-cheat-usa/
03
47% of respondents in a 2020 study of mobile app behavior said they had seen someone they knew use a dating/messaging app in a way that suggested possible overlap with an existing relationship.https://www.businessofapps.com/data/mobile-dating-statistics/
04
7.0% of women and 7.0% of men in the U.S. (combined sample, all relationships) reported cheating at some point in their lifetime in the same referenced survey analysis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7759027/
05
The WHO estimates that mental disorders cost the global economy about $1 trillion per year in lost productivity and direct costs (infidelity-related distress is a contributor within mental-health burden).https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Industry overview data suggest that online dating is deeply entwined with infidelity risk and perception, with 28% of U.S. adults reporting they used dating or matching apps while already in a relationship and 34% saying these apps make cheating easier.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Megan Gallagher. (2026, February 13). Cheating In Relationships Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cheating-in-relationships-statistics
MLA
Megan Gallagher. "Cheating In Relationships Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cheating-in-relationships-statistics.
Chicago
Megan Gallagher. 2026. "Cheating In Relationships Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cheating-in-relationships-statistics.
Sources & references
40 datasets cited across this report
+23 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)