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Family Matters: Close Ties Boost Men’s Mental Health
Middle-age adults whoِ haveِ regular contact withِ a group ofِ friends areِ psychologically betterِ off thanِ those whoِ don’t, butِ when itِ comesِ to havingِ close ties withِ manyِ family members, men benefit moreِ than women, a newِ study fromِ England says.
The results ofِ psychological tests show thatِ people whoِ hadِ regular contact withِ 10 orِ moreِ friends atِ age 45 hadِ higher levels ofِ well-being atِ age 50 thanِ those withِ fiveِ or fewerِ friends.
When theِ researchers looked atِ people’s relationships withِ family members (outside theirِ ownِ household), theyِ foundِ that men whoِ hadِ regular contact withِ fewerِ than 10 relatives hadِ worse mental health thanِ men withِ atِ least 10 close relatives.
