"Is life a failure without a best friend?".. Number of British youths with no close friends increases 5-fold in 10 years

“Is life a failure without a best friend?”… Number of British youths with no close friends increases 5-fold in 10 yearsn.news.naver.comNearly 1 in 20 people have no close friends, causing life satisfaction to drop from 62% to 44%. While social media connections have increased, housing shortages, SNS, and COVID-19 have heightened feelings of isolation, leading to a rapid increase in British youths who have not a single close friend. Social Media (S
According to a report released on the 2nd (local time) by the UK think tank Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the proportion of young people in England who responded that they have no close friends is currently about 1 in 20.
Considering it was at a level of 1 in 100 in 2014, this represents a fivefold increase in approximately 10 years.
The number of young people who responded that they have several close friends has also decreased. Among those aged 16–21, the proportion who answered they have three or more close friends has dropped significantly compared to the past, and the proportion of adolescents aged 14–15 who responded they are satisfied with their friendships has also declined.
The overall life satisfaction of young people is also falling.
According to IPPR analysis, the proportion of 16–24 year olds in England who responded they are satisfied with their lives has dropped from 62% in 2010 to 44% currently. In particular, the decline in satisfaction was greater among young people living in economically disadvantaged areas.
Researchers pointed out that the isolation of the youth is not simply due to individual personality or interpersonal skills.
The analysis suggests that a combination of factors, including austerity policies that continued while the younger generation was growing up, the COVID-19 pandemic, increased SNS usage, and economic instability, has had a complex impact.
Other cited causes include the delay in independence due to high rents and house prices, and the reduction of youth facilities, after-school activities, and sports/arts programs where young people could naturally meet others.