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.

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.