Cross-national study reveals that strong social and childhood family relationships improve self-rated health in adults, indicating social connection is a universal pillar of well-being.
Key Points
To evaluate cross-national associations between adult social relationships, retrospective childhood family relationships, and self-rated mental and physical health across diverse cultural contexts.
Analyzed Wave 1 data from the Global Flourishing Study across 22 countries (N=204,907 adults).
Assessed friendship satisfaction, overall relationship satisfaction, retrospective childhood relationships with parents, and single-item self-rated mental and physical health.
Conducted weighted descriptive analyses, correlations, and multivariable regression models adjusted for sociodemographic factors.
Higher contentment with friendships and greater relationship satisfaction were consistently associated with better self-rated mental and physical health across all 22 countries.
Retrospectively reported positive childhood relationships with parents demonstrated similar, though weaker, positive associations with adult self-rated health.
Self-rated mental health and physical health were strongly interrelated across diverse cultural backgrounds.