August 13, 2026 Fulfilling friendships linked to better health and well-being across 22 countries by Taylor & Francis edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Robert Egan Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Meet our editorial team Behind our editorial process Robert Egan Senior Editor Meet our editorial team Behind our editorial process Editors' notes This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread The GIST Add as preferred source filling friendships and close social relationships are strongly linked to excellent physical and mental health, finds a substantial global study published in the Journal of Mental Health. Data from more than 200,000 adults show that high-quality social connections and—to a lesser extent—positive family ties in childhood are associated with better perceptions of overall mental and physical health.
The research, representing one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind, spanned 22 countries, including the UK, U.S., Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Spain, India, Japan, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Mexico. The paper's findings—based on research carried out by Dr. Veli Durmuş of Kütahya Health Sciences University in Türkiye—demonstrate the importance of social and family bonds.
Durmuş is now calling on policymakers to ensure health strategies recognize the influence of these emotional and social connections on mental and physical health. Social ties as a health factor "I found that people who were more satisfied with their friendships and relationships also tended to report better mental and physical health," says Durmuş, whose research specialty focuses on health management, health policy, the determinants of health and health law. "These findings show why social connections should be considered an important part of overall health and well-being.
With this in mind, public health planning and prevention strategies should include the impact on mental and physical well-being of how people connect with others and with their families." Evidence shows relationships protect against stress, boost self-esteem and help people manage their emotions in a positive way. The number and quality of personal ties made by humans influence mental and physical well-being from birth onward, according to existing research. However, studies have focused only on individual countries, and results have proved inconsistent.
How the global survey was used To bridge this knowledge gap, Durmuş analyzed data on 204,907 adults aged 18 and over from the Global Flourishing Study (GFS). This project surveys individuals to determine what factors help humans flourish throughout life. The GFS covers countries in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa.
For this new study, the researcher used the first phase of the GFS to ensure religious and cultural diversity. Participants were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that they were content or satisfied with their friendships and relationships. Childhood connections with mothers and fathers were scored on a scale from 'very good' to 'very bad.' Those taking part in the survey also had to rate their mental and physical health from 'poor' to 'excellent.' In addition, the researcher took into account income, education and other factors.
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