Scientists in the United States have been able to link a strong teenage friendship with optimal long-term health.
A study published in the journal Psychological Science explains that dating choices during our teenage years could have unintended consequences for our future health.
Indeed, according to scientists Joseph P. Allen, Bert N. Uchino, and Christopher A. Hafen, following the rules of a group of friends would take away the stress of loneliness for some and would be beneficial in the long term. “This shows that staying close to the ‘pack’ is good for your physical health,” explains Joseph Allen, a researcher at the University of Virginia (United States).
Scientists were interested in the cases of 171 adolescents enrolled in classes of 7e and 8e in the United States (that is, the end of lower secondary school, just before entering high school). This work continued over time, as researchers followed these teens until they were 27 years old.
Each participant had to name his best friend at the time, the latter was subsequently tasked with completing a questionnaire evaluating the quality of the friendship, that is to say the degree of trust between the two people, the communication between them, even the alienation that could exist in the relationship.
Promote social relations
A few years later, around the age of 26/27, a health check-up was asked of the individuals followed, in which they were asked their overall condition, whether they were subject to anxiety or depression, and their body mass index. They also had to report previous hospitalizations. By studying these results, the researchers noticed that those who had a beautiful friendship as a teenager were in much better health, even after adjusting the results for other factors such as salary or even use or not drugs.
“Although autonomy is important in modern society, it can sometimes be linked to stress and anxiety, especially when separation from the group is likely to put the person at risk,” explain the authors of the study. They say the authorities should think about how to promote social relations in adolescence. Indeed, some of these difficulties are, according to the study, linked to smoking and obesity in adults.
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