Financial strain affects social bonds

Financial difficulties can weaken relationships and reduce social interactions, according to a 2025 OECD report titled Comment va la vie ?. The study found that 9% of people with the lowest incomes say they never see their friends, and physical encounters have become less frequent in recent years.

Social bonds decline during crises

The report notes that the sense of belonging remained stable until the COVID-19 pandemic, after which declines in social bonds became more pronounced. Men and young people have experienced the strongest declines in their social connections, according to the data.

Socio-economic factors shape relationships

The lack of strong social bonds is often linked to socio-economic instability, isolation, and old age. The study highlights that unemployed individuals and those in the lowest income bracket are about twice as likely to feel lonely, with 11% of respondents reporting they never meet friends in person during a typical year.

Social relationships boost well-being

A long-term Harvard University study on happiness, spanning nearly 85 years, found that quality social relationships are key to personal fulfillment. Co-author Robert Waldinger emphasized that having at least one person to rely on can significantly enhance one's sense of fulfillment.

Poverty harms social and political engagement

A 2016 study in the journal Social Indicators Research found that poverty has a more harmful impact on relationships with friends and family than on social support, and it affects political participation more than it does involvement in community activities. The research confirms that financial struggles can isolate individuals from social and civic life.