Valentine’s Day a date night? For most couples it is, survey says

Are you looking forward to celebrating Valentine's Day with your significant other this year? If the answer is yes, you are far from unique.

The majority of Americans involved in a relationship are not only satisfied, but are also looking forward to a night out with their spouse or partner this coming Feb. 14, according to a national Monmouth University Poll.

According to the survey, about seven in 10 adults are currently married, 7 percent are living with a partner and 11 percent are in a romantic relationship. Meanwhile, 58 percent of these couples say they are extremely satisfied with their relationship, another 30 percent are very satisfied and 56 percent say their partner is extremely important to their overall happiness.

Married people are more likely to say they are extremely satisfied with their relationship and credit their partner as extremely important to their happiness.

"Relationships are a key source of happiness, so it is encouraging that those in relationships report high levels of satisfaction," said Gary Lewandowski, professor and chair of psychology at Monmouth University and co-founder of ScienceOfRelationships.com. "For those who don't report being extremely satisfied, it is important to realize that good relationships take work."

And what do these happy couples do for Valentine's Day?

• 42 percent say they usually go out;
• 33 say they do nothing special;
• 13 percent do something special at home;
• 10 percent do something special but different every year;
• One-third say they don't do anything special.

A night out is the preferred option for Valentine's Day among 40 percent of those polled. Another 26 percent say they would be happiest spending time at home with their partner doing a favorite activity, while 11 percent say they would like to plan a new and interesting activity together. One in five would rather have a gift.

There are no differences based on marital status, but men are more likely than women, by 47 to 36 percent, to say they usually go out for Valentine's Day while women are more likely than men, by 37 to 29 percent, to say that they don't do anything special.

"Couples should take advantage of any chance they get to date or have a night out together," said Lewandowski. "The trend that younger couples are more likely to do this is a little discouraging because doing new and interesting things is even more important in established relationships where the newness of being together has worn off. Saying you're going to do something new can be anxiety provoking, but research shows that these activities help you grow as a person, which improves relationship quality."

It is good to see that only a few respondents wanted an expensive gift, according to Lewandowski. "Recent research shows that spending a lot of money on things like engagement rings and weddings doesn't bode well for relationship success, so de-emphasizing materialism in Valentine's Day gifts is a wise move," he said.