The Childhood Roots of Adult Friendships
Did you know that strong friendships can boost well-being as much as a five-fold increase in income?
Demographic Variation in Social Support and Intimate Friend Across 22 Countries: A Cross-National Analysis
While most people worldwide report having strong social connections, there are significant variations across countries in the levels of social support and the prevalence of having an intimate friend.
Across 22 countries, factors like employment status, education level, and religious service attendance are strongly associated with the strength of a person's social connections.
Social support levels often follow a U-shaped pattern with age, dipping during mid-life before rising again in older adulthood, though this pattern varies by country.
“Tackling loneliness requires more than simple advice; it demands targeting the structural forces that cause isolation.”
This research is a crucial tool for tackling the global 'epidemic of loneliness.' By moving beyond averages and looking at specific groups, we can see who is most at risk of isolation. The findings show that simply telling people to 'make friends' isn't enough. The problem is often structural. For example, if unemployed people consistently report lower social support, it points to a need for policies that do more than just provide financial aid; they should also foster community and connection. If people with less education are more isolated, it highlights the role schools and community centers can play in building social networks. This data allows governments, healthcare providers, and community leaders to design smarter, more targeted interventions. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, they can focus resources on the specific people and places that need the most help rebuilding their social fabric, making our communities stronger and healthier for everyone.
“Tackling loneliness requires more than simple advice; it demands targeting the structural forces that cause isolation.”
We all know that friends and family are important, but how much does our social safety net vary across the globe? To find out, a massive study asked over 200,000 people in 22 countries two simple but powerful questions: on a scale of 0-10, how much can you count on friends and family for help (social support)? And do you have at least one special person you can confide in (an intimate friend)?
“Our social lives often follow a U-shaped curve, dipping in our 40s before rising again in our later years.”
The good news is that, for the most part, people feel connected. Globally, the average social support score was 7. 4 out of 10, and a reassuring 84% of people reported having an intimate friend. But that's where the simple story ends.
The study revealed huge differences from one country to another. For instance, people in Israel reported the highest levels of social support (8. 6/10), while people in Japan reported the lowest (5. 3/10). Having a close friend ranged from 93% of people in Nigeria to just 67% in Japan.
Life circumstances also play a massive role. The research found clear patterns: people who were unemployed, had less education, or never attended religious services consistently reported lower levels of social connection. Interestingly, our social lives also seem to follow a U-shaped curve with age. Support tends to dip during our busy middle-aged years (the 40s) and then rises again in our 70s and 80s. This research gives us the first detailed, global map of friendship, showing that while our need for connection is universal, our experience of it is deeply shaped by where we live and who we are.
Globally, 84% of people across 22 countries report having at least one special person with whom they can confide and share their feelings.
The proportion of people with an intimate friend varies by 26 percentage points between the highest-scoring country, Nigeria at 93%, and the lowest-scoring country, Japan at 67%.
The inequality in social support is over three times higher in Turkey, the country with the most inequality in this measure, compared to Israel, the country with the least.
On a 10-point scale, people who attend religious services more than once a week report higher social support (7.82) than those who never attend (7.10).
Ritchie-Dunham, J. L., Yancey, G., Managi, S., Bartel, C., Bonhag, R., Padgett, N., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Demographic Variation in Social Support and Intimate Friend Across 22 Countries: A Cross-National Analysis. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-025-00226-0
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