HomeBlogPatientDo Teens Have to Be Popular For Good Mental Health? Do Teens Have to Be Popular For Good Mental Health? March 26, 2018Patient “It’s all about popular! It’s not about aptitude It’s the way you’re viewed So it’s very shrewd to be Very very popular Like me!” –“Popular” from the Broadway Musical Wicked According to Glinda, the “good” witch in the musical “Wicked,” there is nothing more important than being popular. Teen Mental Health As parents, we may feel popularity is overrated, but we still want our teenagers to be included and part of a group. We think they will be happier with lots of friends with whom they can hang out, go places, and share experiences. Yet, according to at least one study, it may be better for them if they have one very close friend rather than a large group with whom they’re not so close. Researchers at the University of Virginia found that those teenagers who had a “more intimate bond with a best friend at age 15 reported less social anxiety, bigger boosts in self-worth, and fewer depressive symptoms at age 25 than their peers.” In fact, adolescents who had larger groups of friends – or were viewed as “more popular” – reported higher levels of anxiety in their mid-20s. The research, published in the journal Child Development, studied the friendships and mental health of 169 subjects, first at age 15 and annually for ten years until age 25. The research team concluded that prioritizing close friendships during high school over broader group popularity is associated with better mental health in young adulthood. This is hardly the only confirmation that having quality relationships throughout life affect our mental health. Quality Over Quantity Friendships Cynthia Erdley, a psychology professor at the University of Maine, authored a study which showed having at least one quality friend is more beneficial for children than being seen as “popular” with a wider yet more shallow circle of friends. The study, Peer Acceptance and Friendship as Predictors of Early Adolescents’ Adjustment Across the Middle School Transition, found that feeling accepted by peers, as well as having at least one quality friendship, served as “unique predictors of both psychological well-being and academic performance.” It appears having a strong connection with a smaller group brings a sense of belonging instead of just being one of many in a more superficial relationship. “Having one good friend is enough to protect against loneliness and to help bolster self-esteem and academic engagement,” says Erdley. How Adolescence Follows Us Into Adulthood While both quantity and quality of friendships are important, their value has differing impacts at different points in life, according to some research. A 2015 study published in Psychology and Aging, revealed that having a higher number of interactions with others in your 20s predicted greater well being in your 50s; in your 30s, however, the quality of social connections matters more. Similarly, a recent study by the Aalto University in Finland and the University of Oxford in England found that the quality of friendship matters starting around age 25. By looking at the data from 3 million cell phone users, the teams found that prior to age 25, people had a tendency to interact with a higher number of people. After age 25, the number of people interacted with declines, but the frequency of communications with a smaller group of people increases. According to Kunal Bhattacharya, a postdoctoral researcher at Aalto University who co-authored study: “People become more focused on certain relationships and maintain those relationships. You have new family contacts developing, but your casual circle shrinks.” The co-author of the aforementioned Child Development study, psychology professor Joseph Allen, director of the Virginia Adolescent Research Group, summed it up: “Our study affirms that forming strong close friendships is likely one of the most critical pieces of the teenage social experience. Being well liked by a large group of people cannot take the place of forging deep, supportive friendships. And these experiences stay with us, over and above what happens later. As technology makes it increasingly easy to build a social network of superficial friends, focusing time and attention on cultivating close connections with a few individuals should be a priority.” So in the greater scheme of things, popularity for teenagers is really not as important as parents may make it – the good witch Glinda’s opinions notwithstanding. Our articles are for informational purposes only and are reviewed by our Medical Information team, which includes PharmDs, MDs, and PhDs. Do not make any changes to your current medications or dosing without consulting your healthcare provider. The GeneSight test must be ordered by and used only in consultation with a healthcare provider who can prescribe medications. As with all genetic tests, the GeneSight test results have limitations and do not constitute medical advice. The test results are designed to be just one part of a larger, complete patient assessment, which would include proper diagnosis and consideration of your medical history, other medications you may be taking, your family history, and other factors. If you are a healthcare provider and interested in learning more about the GeneSight test, please contact us at 855.891.9415. If you are a patient, please talk with your doctor to see if the GeneSight test may be helpful. Patient Which Mental Health Provider Should I Consider? A Symptom-Based Guide The support of a good healthcare provider can make all the difference when you’re struggling with your mental health. But how do you connect to one in a sea of ... Read more Patient One explanation for why we experience Side Effects? Understanding Your Genetic Response to Antidepressants Antidepressants often play an essential role in helping patients with their mental health conditions. But as many patients can attest, it’s frustrating when... 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Patient Which Mental Health Provider Should I Consider? A Symptom-Based Guide The support of a good healthcare provider can make all the difference when you’re struggling with your mental health. But how do you connect to one in a sea of ... Read more
Patient One explanation for why we experience Side Effects? Understanding Your Genetic Response to Antidepressants Antidepressants often play an essential role in helping patients with their mental health conditions. But as many patients can attest, it’s frustrating when... Read more
Patient Barriers at Every Turn: How Systemic and Social Factors Block Men from Mental Health Care Taking the important step of seeking care for mental health isn’t always an easy decision. Uncertainty about the need for care, social stigmas associated wi... Read more
Healthcare Provider Overcoming Side Effect Concerns: Leveraging Pharmacogenomic Insights to Inform Depression and Anxiety Medication Selection Whitnee Brown, a lifelong resident now practicing in Birmingham, Alabama has nearly an entire alphabet following her name, abbreviations for degrees and certifi... Read more
Patient Concerns about Mental Health Medication Side Effects Remain a Barrier to Getting Help for Those Diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety Lisa Roberts has raised a family, reached an impressively high level in her career, and was an anchor for her mother and other family members. When, within ... Read more
Patient Common Antidepressant Side Effects Taking an antidepressant can be an effective way to help treat a mental health condition like depression or anxiety. However, these medications can also cre... Read more
Patient MTHFR Mutations: Clinical Implications and Management Strategies MTHFR mutations—changes in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene—have gained increased attention in the medical community due to their potent... Read more
Patient Can an App Help Me Manage My Anxiety? Health and wellness smartphone apps have become so common that if you can name a health goal, desire or condition, you can probably find an app for it. N... Read more
Patient Black Trailblazers of Psychiatry and Mental Health: A Legacy of Healing and Advocacy As we celebrate Black History Month, we want to recognize a few individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of psychiatry and mental heal... Read more
Patient Mindful Moments: Tips for Anxiety If a well-meaning friend or family member has ever told you to “just breathe” when you’re feeling worked up or stressed out, you’d be forgiven if you felt l... Read more