Friends and trends: Friendship across life phases and cohorts

Abstract

Objective

This study describes how subjective frequency of contact with friends changes over the lifespan, whether it has increased across cohorts, and if later-born cohorts maintain this contact into older ages.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from individuals aged 15–97 collected between 1968 and 2021 were used to create an age pattern, analyse changes within age groups, and compare self-reported age trajectories of frequent contact with friends across birth cohorts.

Results

Reported frequency of contact with friends follows a clear age pattern: decreasing from young adulthood, plateauing in midlife, and decreasing again in older age. Later-born cohorts are more likely to report frequent contact with friends, but this difference converges in older age. There is no strong evidence that later-born cohorts maintain frequent contact with friends into old age, though upcoming cohorts may show changes in this trend.

Discussion

As life expectancy and overall health in older age improve, understanding the role of contact with friends in supporting well-being becomes increasingly important. The convergence of the frequency of contact with friends across cohorts in older age could lead to unmet expectations of social contact in upcoming cohorts. Therefore, continued research and proactive measures to support social interactions throughout the ageing process could enhance social connectedness in ageing populations.