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When you’re young and unattached, having good friends is the key to happiness, according to a new study. Previous research has shown that Americans in their early 20s tend to be less happy than at other ages and a growing number of them are not in long-term relationships, so researchers are focusing more on their satisfaction with life. And it turns out, meaningful friendships make all the difference when it comes to being happy.
To better understand how young singles feel, Dr. Lisa Walsh led a team that surveyed nearly 11-hundred Americans between the ages of 18 and 24.
- They were asked about their overall happiness, as well as five predictors of happiness: satisfaction with family, satisfaction with friends, self-esteem, neuroticism, and extraversion.
- Researchers found that participants who were happiest were the least neurotic and most satisfied with their friendships.
- Those who were least happy had low scores on all five happiness predictors.
- Singles who were satisfied with their friendships were more likely to be happy with their lives, while those who weren’t satisfied with their friendships were less happy.
- Based on their study findings, researchers suggest young, single adults make finding meaningful, long-term friendships a priority.
“One of the standout findings from our study is how deeply friendships shape happiness for single emerging adults,” explains Dr. Walsh. “In short, the quality of your friendships is a key factor in your well-being, especially if you’re single.”
Read the article at Talker