People who lead happy lives don't have to be at the top of the school hierarchy or have a fulfilling life; they have certain characteristics as boys and girls.
by
Previous research has shown that 'health at age 80 is determined by the relationships you have in your 50s,' but new research has shown that how you spend your teenage years also has a significant impact on your later life. According to this study, people with high self-esteem and low levels of social anxiety and depression at age 25 had closer friends as teenagers, rather than shallow, broad relationships within popular groups.
Close Friendship Strength and Broader Peer Group Desirability as Differential Predictors of Adult Mental Health - Narr - 2017 - Child Development - Wiley Online Library
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.12905/abstract
High school popularity may not lead to happiness, study finds - ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/high-school-popularity-lead-happiness-study-finds/story?id=49355214
Having a stronger, closer friendship as a teenager predicts less depression as a young adult — Quartz
https://qz.com/1059666/having-a-stronger-closer-friendship-as-a-teenager-predicts-less-depression-as-a-young-adult/
A study conducted by Rachel K. Narr and others, a clinical psychologist at the University of Virginia, found that people who had close friends at age 15 or 16 had higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of social anxiety and depression at age 25 than popular people who formed large groups and had shallow friendships. In both Japan and the United States, school castes are formed based on the popularity of students at school or in their classes, but this study suggests that being at the top of the school caste system and being popular as a boy or girl is not necessarily beneficial in the long run.
by
Narr and his colleagues followed 169 young people over a 10-year period. At ages 15 and 25, participants completed in-depth interviews about their close friends and friendships in general, as well as questions about anxiety, self-esteem, depression, and social acceptance. The children in the study were diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
The interviews also confirmed whether children who described themselves as someone's best friend actually considered that person their best friend, and whether children who described themselves as 'popular' were actually popular in the eyes of others. In this study, 'high-quality friendships' were defined as 'close friendships with a certain degree of trust and support, and intimate interactions.'
In the past, it has been reported that there are two types of popularity: popularity where you are liked by your friends because you are a likable person, and popularity where you gain status and influence over others in some way, and that people tend to choose the latter. This research is also thought to be related to the nature of such popularity.
There are two types of 'popularity' and we tend to choose the wrong one - GIGAZINE
Professor Mitch Prinstein of the University of North Carolina, who studies popularity, also argues that people who are popular and 'likeable' tend to be healthier, have better relationships, be more satisfied with their jobs, and live longer, while status-seeking people suffer from anxiety and depression and are more likely to develop addictions. Professor Prinstein, who was not involved in Narr's study, commented, 'This provides further evidence that some types of relationships become more important than others.'
This study did not demonstrate short-term effects, such as whether or not a person has a best friend at age 15, or whether or not they experience depression at age 16. There is also no evidence as to why having close friends affects people's happiness over the long term rather than the short term. However, Narr hypothesizes that teenage friendships are the first relationships boys and girls form after leaving their families, and that these relationships also contribute to identity formation. However, since friends at age 15 are often different from those at age 25, it appears that what is important is not the friends themselves, but the skills they use to build friendships. Developing relationship-building skills, like building muscles, helps children build self-esteem and confidence that they can build trusting relationships. These skills then lead to the development of romantically intimate relationships, which children will build in the next stage of their lives.
Conversely, popular kids who party a lot as teenagers tend to lose their appeal by the time they're 25. Narr explains this fact: 'Even though drinking and having sex are special things for kids, they're no longer special or unique at 25.'
by Wil Stewart
However, this study did not examine causal relationships such as whether friendships make children less likely to develop depression or whether children with low depression tendencies are able to form friendships. Also, the study began in 2001, before social media became popular, so the situation may be different now in 2017.
'Popularity may not function in the same way when comparing close relationships with shallower, more extensive ones. What is considered successful in one relationship may not be successful in another,' Narr said. He hopes to further explore this research, including what is most important for positive future impact.
Related Posts:
