Relationship quality & longevity: Do support & strain from friends, families, & intimate partners predict lifespan?

Using longitudinal data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, we computed the extent to which the quality of friendships, familial relationships, and intimate partnerships predict one’s risk of dying at any given point in time. The results suggest that experiencing low support or high strain from friends or families can reduce lifespan and that policies to facilitate high-quality relationships among adults could potentially improve well-being and extend longevity.