Types of Social Relationships and Their Effects on Psychological Well-being

Researchers have established the importance of social networks in developing and maintaining well-being. Furthermore, different types of social relationships have been found to influence individuals’ lives in unique ways. There is little understanding, however, of how relationship types compare in their effects on individuals’ psychological well-being. Using a correlational design, this study investigated the associations between relationship intimacy and psychological well-being. Relationship intimacy was measured for respondents’ parents, significant others, close friends, and pets. The surveys were distributed to 91 undergraduate students and included the Miller Social Intimacy Scale (MSIS; Miller & Lefcourt, 1982) and Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-being (SPWB-18; Ryff & Keyes, 1995) to assess respondents’ relationships and psychological well-being, respectively. The results of two regression analyses revealed that intimacy in relationships with one’s significant other and close friends was a significant, positive predictor of well-being, though specific mechanisms of influence could not be established. Further research opportunities include diversifying the study sample and the creation of a standardized scale to more accurately measure intimacy across different relationship types