Skip to content

Being Social in Youth Is Linked to Adult Happiness

Good social relationships in your youth might translate to happiness as an adult, while doing well in school seems to have little influence on well-being later in life, new research suggests.

The study is based on 32 years’ worth of data for 804 people who participated in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (DMHDS) in New Zealand. Craig Olsson, of Deakin University in Australia, and a research team mined this survey for clues to the childhood and adolescent origins of well-being in adulthood.

Read more here

Chris

Chris

Chris Hudson is an Australian Youth Specialist, Parent Coach, and Educator dedicated to helping adults build authentic relationships with teenagers. With over 25 years of experience, he shares insights on navigating the dynamic world of adolescence through his platform, Understanding Teenagers. When not coaching or speaking, Chris enjoys family adventures on the South Coast of NSW and playing very average tennis. He does not enjoy always losing when playing Nintendo with his kids.

Latest Posts

Parent watches from afar holding a clipboard like a control tower manager, while teen eats cereal and texts, oblivious to the oversight
June 11, 2025

Why Isn’t My Teen Taking Responsibility?

If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Why isn’t my teen taking responsibility?”—especially while watching them ignore homework, dodge
ChrisBy Chris
Mother trying to talk to stern teenage son who is wearing headphones
May 7, 2025

Why Teens Push Back: and How to Get Them to Listen

Ever tried to get your teenager to do something simple—like unpack the dishwasher, turn down the music, or
ChrisBy Chris
Parents of teenager having discussion in bedroom
April 2, 2025

Good Kids. Weak Moments. Parenting in the Digital World.

Netflix’s Adolescence is a confronting look at teen life in the digital age. This article unpacks what it gets right—and how parents can respond to the risks of social media with clarity, boundaries, and connection. A real-world guide for raising teens in an algorithm-driven world.
ChrisBy Chris