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Close Social Relationships20255 min read
Who Has Your Back Around the World?
Demographic Variation in Social Support and Intimate Friend Across 22 Countries: A Cross-National Analysis
- By
- Ritchie-Dunham, James L. et al.
- Participants
- 202,898
- Countries
- 22
- Journal
- International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology
- DOI
- 10.1007/s41042-025-00226-0
§1
Key Takeaways
01
Across 22 countries, most people report having close social connections, with 84% having an intimate friend and an average social support score of 7.4 on a 0-10 scale, though both indicators vary substantially across countries.
02
Close social connections vary significantly across demographic groups, with the largest differences observed for employment status, educational level, and religious service attendance.
03
While global patterns emerge in how close social connections vary across demographics, individual countries frequently deviate from these patterns in magnitude or direction, suggesting that cultural and national contexts shape social connections in distinct ways.
§2
Why It Matters
Tackling loneliness requires more than simple advice; it demands targeting the structural forces that cause isolation.
This research matters because it shows that loneliness and social connection are not evenly distributed. The people who tend to have the least support — the unemployed, those with less education, and those not part of a religious community — are often the ones who need it most. For policymakers, public health officials, and community leaders, these findings point to specific groups that could benefit from targeted efforts: job programs that also build social ties, adult education that brings people together, and community spaces that foster regular gatherings. The study also reveals that solutions can't be one-size-fits-all. What works in Sweden might not fit Japan or Tanzania, because the social structures and cultural norms that shape connections differ deeply. Understanding these differences is a first step toward designing interventions that actually fit the people they're meant to help — and toward making sure no one is left without someone to count on.
This research matters because it shows that loneliness and social connection are not evenly distributed. The people who tend to have the least support — the unemployed, those with less education, and those not part of a religious community — are often the ones who need it most. For policymakers, public health officials, and community leaders, these findings point to specific groups that could benefit from targeted efforts: job programs that also build social ties, adult education that brings people together, and community spaces that foster regular gatherings. The study also reveals that solutions can't be one-size-fits-all. What works in Sweden might not fit Japan or Tanzania, because the social structures and cultural norms that shape connections differ deeply. Understanding these differences is a first step toward designing interventions that actually fit the people they're meant to help — and toward making sure no one is left without someone to count on.
Tackling loneliness requires more than simple advice; it demands targeting the structural forces that cause isolation.
§3
The Story
Imagine you're in trouble. Do you have friends or family you can count on? Is there one person you feel truly close to — someone you can confide in?
Our social lives often follow a U-shaped curve, dipping in our 40s before rising again in our later years.
Researchers asked over 200,000 people in 22 countries these two questions, and the answers reveal a lot about who feels connected and who feels left behind. The good news: most people around the world report having both a wider circle of support and at least one very close friend. On average, people rated their social support at 7. 4 out of 10, and about 84% said they had an intimate friend.
But the averages hide big differences. In Israel, people rated their support at 8. 55 out of 10, while in Japan the average was just 5. 29. In Nigeria, 93% of people had a close confidant, compared to only 67% in Japan.
The study also found patterns across life circumstances. People who were married, employed, more educated, or attended religious services more often tended to report stronger social connections. People who were unemployed reported the lowest levels of support. Social support followed a U-shape with age — highest among young adults and older adults, dipping lowest in people's 40s and 50s, possibly when work and family pressures peak. Interestingly, in countries where average support was lower, the gap between those who had help and those who didn't was wider — meaning the people most in need were often the ones least likely to have it.
Figures
84%
Global Intimate Friend Rate
Across 22 countries, 84% of people reported having an intimate friend with whom they could confide and share their feelings.
+3.26 points
Social Support Range Across Countries
On the 0-10 social support scale, mean levels ranged from a high of 8.55 in Israel to a low of 5.29 in Japan, a gap of 3.26 points.
1.4x
Intimate Friend Country Disparity
The proportion of people reporting an intimate friend was approximately 1.4 times higher in Nigeria, the highest at 93%, than in Japan, the lowest at 67%.
+0.79 points
Employment Status Gap in Support
On the 0-10 social support scale, students reported a mean of 7.61 compared to 6.82 for the unemployed, a difference of 0.79 points.
§4
Reader Questions
Research Details
& Citation
Chat with this paperPublished
2025
Journal
International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology
Participants
202,898
Countries
22
Cite this paper
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/s41042-025-00226-0Tags
social-supportlonelinessrelationship-qualityemploymenteducationservice-attendance
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