Go to RouteY
Brigham Young University
Epidemiological research indicates that both the quality and quantity of social relationships may significantly protect individuals from various causes of morbidity and mortality. For most adults, marriage plays a central role in their lives—even as compared to other social relationships. Therefore, this particular relationship may be important to examine in understanding the association between social relationships and health. A critical goal for research in this area is to understand both the physical and psychological pathways that explain why social relationships influence health.