About a quarter of people surveyed for a study led by Duke University Professor lynn Smith-Lovin say that they have no close friends. Over half of the respondents reported that they had two or fewer people with whom they could discuss personal matters. Often, the respondents listed family members as their confidants.

By using data from a national survey of 1500 adults that has been ongoing since 1972, Smith-Lovin's research group found that today's trends indicate a sharp decrease in the number of people Americans call friends. The group found that back in 1985 most Americans surveyed reported that they had at least three friends with whom they could share their interests and problems. In 1985, more Americans were likely to name at least five friends; many respondents claimed that the friendships stemmed from their communities. The study also found that less educated people and non-whites were less likely to have as many friends as white Americans and more educated people.

Social relationships are healthy because they contribute to a person's mental and physical well-being. According to the news article, research has shown that people who spend more time with others and participate in civic activities tend to live longer lives. A good friend can also come in handy when disaster strikes, lending assistance during a personal crisis or even a national emergency.

Smith-Lovin's group believes that Americans are lonelier because they're spending more time at work or driving to work. They're also marrying later and having fewer kids. Perhaps now might be a good time for Americans to start focusing less on working hard and more on preserving connections to their friends.

About the author: In her spare time, knotheadus writes for Epinions.com and maintains her own Web site, knot-heads.com.