Those adults whose friends liked them as teens had lower levels of stress, anxiety, and anger, good physical health and lots of social connections
Friends you make as teenagers are the ones who can pull you through stress, anxiety, and depression and keep you happy, according to a new study. The research, conducted jointly by James Madison University and the University of Arkansas, said early adolescence connections can help teenagers adjust well in their adulthood.
“Friendships during the teenage years provide youth with one of their first forays into intimate consensual relationships,” said Dr. David Szwedo, researcher and associate professor of clinical and school psychology at James Madison University. “Because friends may come and go, friendships are a context in which teens must develop skills to maintain and grow the friendship or risk its loss,” he added in a news release. “These skills are likely to be subsequently helpful for forming future friendships and longer-term romantic relationships.”
How do teenage friendships make you a happy adult?
Researchers interviewed nearly 200 students – in two groups – 13-14 years and another cluster of 17-18 years to measure the quality of their friendships and social acceptance. The team then again caught up with both groups when they were 28-30 years of age, getting details of their physical and mental health, careers, and personal lives.
According to the scientists, those adults who thought their friends liked them as teens had lower levels of stress, anxiety, and anger, good physical health, lots of social outings and connections, and great professional and romantic lives.
The study also found that different types of friendship benefited people in their early and late teens. The results showed that adolescents, who were more accepted by their peers had better well-being as adults, while older teenagers appeared to draw more benefit from developing close friendships with a few pals.
On the other hand, older teenagers did not suffer from a lack of the high levels of social acceptance that are important to young teens, researchers found. “A teen’s perception of how broadly socially accepted they are by their peers in early adolescence is particularly influential in predicting adult wellbeing,” said Emily Shah, a doctoral student and lead researcher at the University of Arkansas. “Conversely, in late adolescence, the quality of their more intimate close friendships is more influential for predicting adult wellbeing.”
However, Shah also said those who are struggling as teenagers to be accepted should not assume that they will not be happy as adults.
“I want teens to know that they aren’t alone,” she said in the news release. “It’s not easy being a teenager in this world, and I choose to believe that teens are doing the best that they can with the skills that they have. I hope that adults who interact with teenagers consider sharing that perspective, to hold space for empathy and compassion.”
What are the psychological benefits of friendships?
According to experts, friends not only become your companions and confidants, but they also help you celebrate good times and provide support during bad times. They prevent isolation and loneliness, apart from:
- Increasing your sense of belonging and purpose
- Boosting your happiness and reducing your stress
- Improving your self-confidence and self-worth
- Helping you cope with traumas, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss, or the death of a loved one
- Encouraging you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise
Ways to nurture friendships as teenagers
Experts say friendship, like any other relationship, involves give-and-take. And so, it is as important for you to be a good friend as it is to surround yourself with good friends. For that, you need to:
- Be kind
- Be a good listener
- Open up
- Show that you can be trusted
- Make yourself available
- Manage your nerves with mindfulness
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