Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 18 hrs ago
Supportive Childhoods Linked to Better Adult Well-Being in Three Countries
A study led by the University of Nottingham linked supportive childhood experiences with better well-being in adulthood.
It examined adults aged 18 to 34 in the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan.
Participants who recalled care, comfort, free play and a positive emotional atmosphere at home tended to report better health, more happiness and life satisfaction, and less anxiety.
They also tended to feel more satisfied with their relationships, more connected to their neighborhoods and more trusting of others.
The researchers used the idea of an “evolved nest,” a framework for caregiving practices that human infants are thought to have evolved to expect.
Positive experiences were generally more strongly linked to adult well-being than simply having fewer harmful experiences.
Because participants reported on their childhoods and current well-being, the findings show associations, not proof that childhood experiences caused later outcomes.
A University of Nottingham-led study linked supportive childhood experiences with better adult well-being across the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan.
Adults who reported supportive childhoods also reported greater trust and belonging, alongside better health, happiness and life satisfaction.
The study found positive childhood experiences were generally stronger predictors of adult well-being than the absence of negative experiences.
The findings are associations and do not establish that childhood experiences caused the adult outcomes.
- Who
- Researchers led by the University of Nottingham, with adults ages 18 to 34 in the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan.
- What
- The study linked supportive childhood experiences with better adult well-being and social connection.
- When
- The study was published in the Journal of Happiness Studies on 30 September 2026.
- Where
- The United Kingdom, the United States and Japan.
- Why
- The researchers examined how supportive childhood experiences relate to adult well-being and social capital.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Our study highlights the value of looking at how we collectively raise children from an evolutionary perspective, since the environments in which we evolved as a species are very different to those in which many people live today.
Overall, our results highlight the importance of providing experiences that support the biological, psychological, and social needs of children.
The study was published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
SciTechDaily published an article about the findings.
- Countries studied
- United Kingdom, United States and Japan
- Participant ages
- 18 to 34
- Study publication date
- 30 September 2026
- Journal
- Journal of Happiness Studies
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10902-026-01109-0
Sources
Related news
Researchers map hair-like sensory cells across squid bodies
Bellbird and Seriema Among the Loudest Birds Measured
Survey finds only 83 mature cheetahs across a vast area of South Africa
British Columbia rogue wave was nearly three times taller than nearby waves
Detached sea cucumber tissue remained active for more than three years
New book examines the survival skills of 75 fierce forms of nature
Air pollution reaches ‘very poor’ levels in towns near Manaus
Young Puerto Rican parrot rescued from invasive boa
Warm, mostly sunny weather forecast across the Netherlands this week
Researchers confirm a new giant waterlily species in Colombia
Amazonas fires rise 271% in the first 10 days of October
