Young adults experience high loneliness despite having large friend networks

A study analyzing data from two polls of U.S. residents found that social ill-being is highest in younger adults and lowest in older adults. Conversely, social well-being was higher in younger and older adults, and lower in middle-aged adults. The research was published in PLOS One.

Social well-being refers to the quality of a person’s relationships, sense of belonging, social support, and ability to function effectively within a community. It includes feeling accepted, valued, and connected to others, as well as having opportunities for meaningful social participation. Social well-being is supported by trust, reciprocity, social cohesion, and access to supportive networks. It also involves perceived fairness, inclusion, and the belief that society provides opportunities to meet basic needs.

Social ill-being, in contrast, refers to conditions and experiences that undermine healthy social functioning and connectedness. It includes social isolation, loneliness, discrimination, marginalization, and chronic conflict. Social ill-being often arises from structural factors such as poverty, inequality, exclusionary institutions, or breakdowns in community trust. At the individual level, it may manifest as alienation, lack of support, or persistent interpersonal stress. Social ill-being can negatively affect mental and physical health, reducing resilience and increasing vulnerability to stress and illness.

Study author Jeffrey A. Hall and his colleagues wanted to explore how social well-being and ill-being vary with age. They also wanted to know what social circumstances, life changes, and attitudes about relationships are typical of individuals with different social well-being and ill-being levels.

They analyzed data from two groups of American adults recruited by the Siena College Research Institute (SCRI), a national leader in public opinion polling. These groups were surveyed in 2022 and 2023. The 2022 group included 2,034 participants, while the 2023 group included 2,243 individuals. In the latter part of each year, these samples were complemented by university students, including a random sample of those aged 18–21 and students over the age of 22. With the addition of the students, the total number of participants whose data were used in this analysis was 4,812.

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Compared to the general population of the U.S., young adults were overrepresented and older adults were underrepresented in this group. The average age of participants was roughly 44 years. Approximately 57% were women, and 88% identified as heterosexual. Regarding relationship status, 31% were single, while 44% were married or cohabitating.

In this study, social ill-being was assessed by aggregating measures of loneliness and social disconnection. Social well-being was assessed using measures of social connection, companionship, perceived social support, and the number of friends (derived from a naming task in which participants listed their friends). Participants who named at least one friend also answered a number of questions about their relationships with those friends.

Results showed that participants who reported higher levels of social well-being also reported less perceived stress and tended to have a higher number of friends. Individuals who reported higher levels of social ill-being tended to report lower levels of well-being and a somewhat lower number of friends. They were also more likely to report having lost touch with a friend.

Older individuals tended to report lower levels of social ill-being (disconnection and loneliness). On the other hand, indicators of social well-being were highest for younger and older adults, while being lower for middle-aged adults. The number of friends was highest in emerging adulthood, declined during the late 20s, and reached its lowest point in middle age (45–60). It then gradually increased in older individuals.

“The present manuscript suggests that loneliness among young adults is not bereft of connection, companionship, and friendship, but instead is characteristic of rapid life changes and a lack of relational permanence and routine,” the study authors concluded.

The study contributes to the scientific understanding of factors associated with social well-being. However, it should be noted that this was a cross-sectional, not a longitudinal study. This means that different ages were represented by different people, not the same people observed through their lifetimes. Because of this, it remains unknown whether the observed associations with age represent age-related changes or differences between generations.

The paper, “Lonely and connected in emerging adulthood: The ambivalence of sociality in a time of transitions,” was authored by Jeffrey A. Hall, Natalie Pennington, and Amanda J. Holmstrom.