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From the Journals

Single and Happy? Thank Your Friends

Study reveals 37.9% of single emerging adults are relatively happy, challenging stereotypes and highlighting the crucial role of friendship satisfaction in their well-being.

Conexiant

A cross-sectional study revealed that friendship satisfaction played a crucial role in the happiness of single emerging adults aged 18 to 24. Researchers identified five distinct profiles of single emerging adults using latent profile analysis (LPA), with friendship satisfaction often distinguishing which profiles were happy or unhappy.

The study, published in PLOS ONE, analyzed data from 1,073 single emerging adults in the U.S. Using five predictors of life satisfaction (friendship satisfaction, family satisfaction, self-esteem, neuroticism, and extraversion) as indicators in LPA, the researchers identified five profiles with varying levels of happiness:

  • Profile 1 (11.1% of the sample): All very favorable indicators, very happy
  • Profile 2 (26.8%): Mostly favorable indicators with very high friendship satisfaction, somewhat happy
  • Profile 3 (38.4%): Mostly average indicators with somewhat low friendship satisfaction, average happiness
  • Profile 4 (14.6%): Mostly unfavorable indicators with average friendship satisfaction, unhappy
  • Profile 5 (9.1%): All very unfavorable indicators, very unhappy

The study found that 37.9% of single emerging adults were relatively happy, while 23.7% were unhappy. Notably, friendship satisfaction was 2 to 3 times more significant for relatively happy Profile 2 than other indicators like family satisfaction.

Methodology

Participants were recruited via the Dynata research platform using a stratified random sampling approach to ensure a nationally representative sample. Eligible participants were single adults without a current romantic relationship. Data collection occurred between May 17 and June 23, 2021.

Several measures were used to assess well-being and profile indicators:

  • Life satisfaction: Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI)
  • Friendship satisfaction: Friendship Network Satisfaction Scale
  • Family satisfaction: Family Satisfaction Scale
  • Self-esteem: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
  • Neuroticism and Extraversion: International Personality Item Pool and Big Five Inventory

LPA was conducted using Mplus version 8.0, following a manual three-step approach. The researchers examined fit indices, including -2 log likelihood, Akaike information criteria, Bayesian information criteria, and Lo-Mendell Rubin likelihood ratio test to determine the optimal number of profiles.

Key Findings

Friendship satisfaction emerged as a vital indicator, often distinguishing which singles were happy or not. In Profile 2, friendship satisfaction was roughly 2 to 3 times greater in magnitude than all other indicators. Singles with disadvantages in one area could compensate with advantages in others to achieve happiness. For example, Profile 2 had somewhat high neuroticism (M = 0.25) but also high friendship satisfaction (M = 0.85) and family satisfaction (M = 0.46).

Covariate analyses revealed additional profile differences:

  • Gender: More men (54.7%) than women (45.3%) were in the happiest profile (Profile 1).
  • Best friend status: More people with a best friend in Profiles 1-4 (88.2%, 96.8%, 67.4%, and 87.1%, respectively), and more people without a best friend in Profile 5 (74.2%).
  • Continuous covariates: Happy profiles had more close friends, lower depression and anxiety, better physical health, and lower preference for solitude.

Despite being relatively happy, Profile 2 showed average levels of depression (M = 0.01) and anxiety (M = 0.06), suggesting that negative experiences may not always indicate unhappiness when offset by positive factors like high friendship satisfaction.

The study found that 76.9% of single emerging adults reported having a best friend, compared to 59% of Americans in general.

Demographic Information

The sample included participants from diverse backgrounds:

  • Age range: 18-24 years, with the largest group being 21-year-olds (20.2%)
  • Gender: 32.4% male, 67.6% female
  • Race/Ethnicity: 56.6% White/Caucasian, 22.6% Black/African American, 18.1% Hispanic/Latino(a), 11.9% Asian, 3.1% Other
  • Education: 3.4% less than high school, 32.8% high school graduate, 37.3% some college/vocational, 23.1% college graduate, 3.1% post-graduate
  • Household Income: 27.5% less than $30,000, 20.4% $30,000-$49,999, 20.6% $50,000-$74,999, 13.6% $75,000-$99,999, 10.8% $100,000-$149,999, 7.1% $150,000 or greater

Limitations

The study’s cross-sectional nature limited causal inferences. Additionally, the sample was collected in the United States, which may limit generalizability to other cultures. The researchers suggested future intervention studies aimed at improving emerging adults’ friendship satisfaction to determine effects on life satisfaction.

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.