Many people will know that feeling of two friends slowly drifting apart all too well. It’s one of the sad realities of getting older, as lives that were once so enmeshed become disentangled.

But a new study has suggested that we shouldn’t be disheartened over a shrinking social network as we get older. In fact, when it comes to adult friendship and maintaining good relationships over the years, it’s a question of quality, not quantity.

The research, undertaken by the University of Leeds and comprising more than 6,000 test participants in the US, examined the type and closeness of friendships in different age groups, cross-referencing that data with information on participant’s overall wellbeing and mental health.

Adult friendships: why quality, not quantity, is the key to relationships as you get older