Want to get into a relationship? Try being friends first, says a study

As per a study done by psychologists in the US, being friends in a relationship is the most important factor for satisfying sex life and longevity.

The argument that a healthy friendship between potential partners is a good thing seems to have got a shot in the arm. According to psychologists in the US, being friends in a relationship is the most important factor for satisfying sex life and longevity. Now, you may want to consider putting your potential partner into the friend zone first.

One of the authors, Laura VanderDrift, told The Independent that finding a partner who was “first and foremost a friend” was a good predictor of the long-term success of a relationship.

The study, carried out at Purdue University in Indiana, surveyed 184 people who had been in relationships for 16 months or more and asked them what they valued most about their relationship.

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The finding said a partner who was ‘first and foremost a friend’ was a good predictor of the long-term success of a relationship. (Shutterstock)

Dr VanderDrift noted that couples trying to improve their relationship could solve several problems at once simply by focusing on being friends and having more shared interests and “friendship-type experiences”.

The study is published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.