Make social connection a priority throughout your life

Confidence

Quality of Evidence

The scientific evidence supporting the importance of social connection is generally of high quality. Indeed, multiple studies across diverse populations have demonstrated that strong social connections contribute significantly to physical and mental health, longevity, and overall wellbeing. However, while longitudinal and cross-sectional studies provide robust data on the health impact, there is less evidence from interventions to promote social connection from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) due to the inherent difficulties in experimentally manipulating social connections. Some experimental studies have shown that individuals benefit from increasing social connections or acting more prosocially Yet, despite those demonstrated benefits definitive causal proof for the magnitude of benefits of social connection is difficult to establish – particularly given the relative influence of psychological, biological, social, and structural factors in shaping social experiences and situations. Additionally, few studies have explicitly aimed to examine the potential consequences individuals may experience when they fail to improve their social circumstances after engaging in meaningful effort. Some evidence suggests that self-evaluation and self-monitoring behaviours may be detrimental and as such it is possible that by asking people to evaluate their social lives we might inadvertently direct their attentional focus inward, triggering potentially harmful psychological mechanisms. In short, the evidence strongly suggests that social connection is important, but it is less certain as to whether individuals can actually make sustained changes in their social behaviour and whether doing so results in substantial health gains. More research is needed to explore these questions specifically.

Balance of Benefits and Harms

Social connection is associated with numerous positive health outcomes, including reduced mortality, better mental health, and improved quality of life. That said, prioritizing social connection may cause potential harms, such as the emotional distress from difficult relationships, and time investments in a strainful relationship, challenges of balancing social needs with other life responsibilities, and the distress and demoralization that may occur when meaningful effort does not result in desired improvements to one’s social situation. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that inward self-focus may have harmful consequences and as such, advising individuals to be aware and thoughtful of their social situation could have unintended consequences that might increase perceptions of loneliness. It may not be advisable to pursue connection/relaitonships where the social connection is unhealthy or, indeed, harmful. Not all social connections must be maintained, sometimes it’s more important to protect oneself and cut bonds when a relationship is toxic or with people who cause us emotional or physical harm. You don’t have to be friends with everyone and it is important to focus on relationships that are healthy and help us flourish. Nevertheless, we believe that the balance of benefits versus harms of making social connection a priority is in favor of benefits for the majority of people.

Alignment with Values and Preferences

This guideline aligns with the values and preferences of most people. Indeed, humans are inherently social beings who generally prioritize relationships and social interaction. We understand that social connections are important, but many people may not realize the extent to which they shape our health and wellbeing. As such, we might not always treat social connection as a high priority. Furthermore, some individuals and communities may find the guidance to be somewhat difficult to achieve in the broader context of their social realities. As well, those who identify as neurodivergent or introverted may feel the guidance does not align with their personal needs. However, while individual preferences for the type and amount of social connection may vary, we believe our recommendation is sufficiently flexible to accommodate these differences, improving its acceptability to most people.

Feasibility

The feasibility of prioritizing social connection throughout life is moderate. I don't know what this sentence means–what is moderate?. While most people recognize the importance of social relationships, consistently maintaining and cultivating these connections can be challenging due to time constraints, life transitions, and other responsibilities. There is limited evidence showing that individuals can make meaningful changes in their sociability, but it is at least theoretically possible. To address these feasibility challenges, we note the guideline's emphasis on intentionality and self-awareness offers practical approaches that can be implemented by most individuals.

Certainty of Recommendation

Based on our assessment of the above criteria, we are confident that prioritizing social connection is important to shaping wellbeing. Our primary reservations relate to the possibility that individuals who undertake this guidance may encounter challenges arising from their personal circumstances or the environments in which they live. Nevertheless, we believe the likelihood that additional information or evidence would cause us to reverse this recommendation is low.

Overall Assessment

The overall rating for this guideline is Moderate Recommendation, Moderate Quality of Evidence.