UCLA research examines the science of adult friendship and loneliness

adult friendship loneliness epidemic social connection public health social skills

Research into adult friendship suggests that social connection is a critical component of public health. Jaimie Krems, director of the UCLA Center for Friendship Research, notes that the field of friendship study has historically been underfunded compared to romantic relationship research.

Citing analysis from Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, the research indicates that a lack of social connection can impact health in a manner similar to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. This issue is compounded by a loneliness epidemic affecting more than half of US adults, which led to a US Surgeon General’s Advisory in 2023.

Google search trends show that queries for ‘how to make friends’ reached an all-time high last spring, outpacing searches related to dating. Experts suggest that friendship involves teachable competencies that could help mitigate these public health and economic challenges.