Based on a recent Washington Post analysis, the average American in 2021 spent two hours and 45 minutes a week with friends, down 58% compared to 2010-2013, and American teens spent 11 fewer hours with friends each week in 2021, a 64% drop. Substantial research suggests that alone time has a detrimental influence on mental health and creates negative societal outcomes. To the extent that friendship is a major contributor to positive mental health, the recent study would suggest that more companionship with friends and less time with devices are just what the doctor ordered.
Originally posted for the Orlando Sentinel’s Central Florida 100.
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