Health
Mental health may be worse in teens from large families, study suggests: 'Fewer resources'
When it comes to family, many might assume “the more, the merrier” — but for some, that might not be the case, according to a recent study.
Researchers from The Ohio State University found that teens with a greater number of siblings reported poorer mental health than those who came from smaller families.
“The association between the number of siblings and mental health was negative in two large datasets in different countries (U.S. and China),” Doug Downey, lead author of the study and professor of sociology at The Ohio State University, told Fox News Digital.
HEART DISEASE RISK INCREASES FOR YOUNG ADULTS WHO HAVE LOST A SIBLING, STUDY FINDS
The large-scale study, published last month in the Journal of Family Issues, included more than 9,400 eighth graders in China and more than 9,100 children of the same age in the U.S.
The participants in both countries answered various questions about their mental health.
Researchers from The Ohio State University found that teens with a greater number of siblings reported poorer mental health than those with smaller families. (iStock)
Based on the responses, among the Chinese teens, the ones with no siblings were found to have the best mental health.
In the U.S., teens with no siblings or just one sibling had the best mental health.
SPIKE IN TEEN DEPRESSION ALIGNS WITH RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, NEW POLL SUGGESTS: ‘IT’S NOT GOING ANYWHERE’
The age differences between siblings also appeared to be a factor, the study found.
Those who had older siblings and siblings who were born within a year of one another were shown to have the worst mental well-being.
One theory about the study’s findings is what Downey calls the “resource dilution” explanation.
“But when you add more siblings, each child gets fewer resources and [less] attention from the parents, and that may have an impact on their mental health,” said one of the study researchers. (iStock)
“If you think of parental resources like a pie, one child means they get all the pie — all the attention and resources of the parents,” he said in an OSU press release.
“But when you add more siblings, each child gets fewer resources and [less] attention from the parents, and that may have an impact on their mental health.”
“If you think of parental resources like a pie, one child means they get all the pie – all the attention and resources of the parents.”
The researchers were surprised by the findings, given that previous research had shown hints of positive outcomes related to siblings, such as better social skills and lower probability of divorce, noted Downey.
‘Cannot be sure it is causal’
The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.
“We found an association between [the] number of siblings and poorer mental health — but we cannot be sure that it is causal,” Downey said.
The researchers also did not analyze the quality of sibling relationships, which could have a direct impact on mental health.
The researchers were surprised by the findings, as previous research had shown hints of positive outcomes related to siblings. However, they noted the study’s limitations. They did not analyze the quality of sibling relationships, for instance. (iStock)
At this point, Downey said, it is too early to recommend any changes in human behavior based on these findings.
“Scholars are only beginning to understand the consequences of fertility change,” he told Fox News Digital.
“As fertility decline continues, understanding the consequences of growing up with fewer siblings becomes increasingly important,” he added. “In this case, the evidence appears to be positive.”
TEACHING VALUES TO OUR KIDS CAN ONLY HELP THEM FLOURISH AND SOUTH CAROLINA IS LEADING THE WAY
Kim Arrington, a clinical psychologist at Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey, was not involved in the study but offered her input on the findings.
“With this study, we are witnessing the results of the evolution of modern societies away from agrarian societies where having multiple children could be an asset to working farms,” she told Fox News Digital.
“In psychology, ‘resource dilution’ suggests that the availability of parental resources, such as time, attention and finances, decreases as the number of children in a family increases,” a psychologist told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Now, with greater specialization in jobs and higher economic demands in our culture resulting in many households requiring two working parents, there are fewer resources in the form of attention from parents to go around, no doubt having an effect on child development.”
In Arrington’s opinion, modern cultures are also less likely to have multi-generational households and communities that, in the past, served as additional sources of childcare, when it was easier for families to pool resources.
“Prior studies showed advantages to having more siblings, so overall the data is mixed.”
Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California, also was not part of the OSU research, but he shared his thoughts on the concept of “research dilution.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“In psychology, ‘resource dilution’ suggests that the availability of parental resources, such as time, attention and finances, decreases as the number of children in a family increases,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The authors also mention that prior studies showed advantages to having more siblings, so overall the data is mixed,” he added.
Dimitriu said he would expect there to be a “sweet spot” for the number of siblings.
“It appears 0 to 1 may be optimal, per this study — however, I would also expect numerous factors to impact this, including socioeconomic factors, parental divorce and parenting styles.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The key to feeling better in a fast, overstimulated world might be surprisingly simple: Live a little more like your grandparents.
A growing social media trend, dubbed “nonnamaxxing,” draws inspiration from the slower, more intentional rhythms associated with an Italian grandmother.
The lifestyle is often linked to activities like preparing home-cooked meals, spending time outdoors and making meaningful connections.
MARTHA STEWART SHARES 7 TIPS FOR AGING WELL: ‘LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD, BE GOOD’
“Nonnamaxxing is a 2026 trend that embraces the slower, more intentional lifestyle of an Italian grandmother (a Nonna). Think cooking from scratch, long family meals, daily walks, gardening and less screen time,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
Stepping away from screens and toward real-world interaction can have measurable benefits, according to California-based psychotherapist Laurie Singer.
“We know that interacting with others in person, rather than spending time on screens, significantly improves mental health,” she told Fox News Digital, adding that social media often fuels comparison and lowers self-esteem.
LONELINESS MAY BE SILENTLY ERODING YOUR MEMORY, NEW RESEARCH REVEALS
Living more like previous generations isn’t purely driven by nostalgia. Cooking meals from scratch, for example, has been linked to better nutrition and more mindful eating patterns.
Adopting traditional mealtime habits can improve diet quality and support both physical and mental health, especially when meals are shared regularly with others, Palinski-Wade noted.
One longevity expert stresses that staying healthy isn’t just about food — it’s also about joy and community. (iStock)
There’s also a psychological benefit to slowing down and focusing on one task at a time. Anxiety often stems from unfinished or avoided tasks, Singer noted, and engaging in hands-on activities can counteract that.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Nonnamaxxing encourages us to be present around a task, like gardening, baking or knitting, or just taking a mindful walk, that delivers something ‘real,’” she said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Palinski-Wade cautions against turning the trend into another source of pressure, noting that a traditional “nonna” lifestyle often assumes a different pace of life.
The key, she said, is adapting the mindset, not replicating it perfectly.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
The goal is to reintroduce small, intentional moments that make you feel better.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
That might mean prioritizing a few shared meals each week, taking a walk without your phone or setting aside time for a simple hobby, the expert recommended.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Singer added, “Having a positive place to escape to, through whatever activities speak to us and make us happy, isn’t generational – it’s human.”
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
GRANDPARENTS WHO BABYSIT THEIR GRANDCHILDREN STAY MENTALLY SHARPER, NEW STUDY REVEALS
“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
EXPERTS REVEAL HIDDEN LINK BETWEEN POOR SLEEP AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE RISK
The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
DEMENTIA RISK SIGNALS COULD LIE IN SIMPLE BLOOD PRESSURE READINGS, SAY RESEARCHERS
Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
Alabama5 minutes agoAlabama AHSAA softball key dates and top teams approaching the 2026 playoffs
-
Alaska11 minutes ago‘We never forgot her’: Friends, family of longtime Alaska teacher gather for 100th birthday celebration
-
Arizona17 minutes agoTrying to beat the heat: Addressing rising temperatures in Southern Arizona
-
Arkansas22 minutes ago
Arkansas Lottery Cash 3, Cash 4 winning numbers for April 19, 2026
-
California29 minutes agoCalifornia couple charged with murder in death of toddler skip court
-
Colorado34 minutes agoUPDATE: Northbound Powers reopned after major crash
-
Connecticut40 minutes agoCT Lottery Cash 5, Play3 winning numbers for April 19, 2026
-
Delaware47 minutes agoMan speeds past leading runner in photo finish at Delaware Marathon