Adult Family Relationships in the Context of Friendship

Relationships with family and friends have been found to consistently influence adult well-being. This study explored the complex and interactive nature of family and friend relationships by examining whether the longitudinal effects of positive and negative family relationship quality on well-being differ in the context of positive friendships. Adults with a best friend were sampled from the longitudinal Social Relations, Aging, and Health Study (N = 455). Among respondents with a highly positive friend relationship, less negative family relationships were linked to better health and self-esteem. Findings provide insight into the complex ways social relations impact positive outcomes in adulthood.