Friendship more important than family as you age
New research has found that the power of friendship increases with age and may be more vital than family relationships when it comes to health matters.
The study found that friendships can decrease loneliness and chronic illness and provide support. The study also suggests that relatives are important overall but can be fraught with tension.
The research comes from a pair of studies involving nearly 280,000 people which was carried out by a Michigan State University scholar.
Researcher William Chopik, who is assistant professor of psychology, said, “'Friendships become even more important as we age.”
“Keeping a few really good friends around can make a world of difference for our health and well-being. So it's smart to invest in the friendships that make you happiest.
In the first study, Chopik analysed survey results about relationships and self-rated health and happiness from 271,053 participants of various ages from over 100 countries.
Overall, he found that family and friend relationships were linked to better health and happiness. However, he identified a trend for friendships being a stronger predictor of health and happiness across a person’s lifespan.
The second study observed results from a different survey about relationship strains and chronic illness from 7481 older adults in the US.
When there was a source of strain in friendships, more chronic illness was reported.
When friendships were positive, participants were healthier.
Chopik explained that as we choose our friends, over time we tend to keep the ones who bring positivity into our lives.
He said that after retirement, many people rediscover their social lives.
“Friendships help us stave off loneliness but are often harder to maintain across the lifespan,” he said.
“If a friendship has survived the test of time, you know it must be a good one – a person you turn to for help and advice often and a person you wanted in your life.
Family relationships were found to bring happiness in the study but they were also found to involve serious and negative interactions.
There are now a few studies starting to show just how important friendships can be for older adults, he said.
“Summaries of these studies show that friendships predict day-to-day happiness more and ultimately how long we'll live, more so than spousal and family relationships.
The study was published in the journal of Personal Relationships.