Elements that money cannot procure — such as joy and improved wellness

Wealth might not buy joy, but robust connections can. Those relationships can also lead to enhanced well-being.

This is the primary insight from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the globe’s longest thorough investigations into physical and mental wellness among adults, as noted by its director, Robert Waldinger, who serves as a psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School and is a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In its 87th year, this longitudinal examination stands as the world’s longest scientific inquiry into human well-being and happiness. It commenced in 1938 with 724 individuals and has expanded to 2,500, encompassing the spouses and offspring of the original participants.

“The takeaways aren’t focused on wealth, notoriety, or relentless labor,” remarked Waldinger in a 2015 TED Talk that has amassed nearly 50 million views.

“The most straightforward message is this: Quality relationships enhance our happiness and health. Absolutely … It appears that individuals more socially intertwined with family, friends, and community experience greater happiness; they maintain better physical health and lifespan compared to those less connected.”

The information amassed by the study over decades—comprising medical histories, brain imagery, face-to-face interviews, and surveys—constitutes a rich reservoir of knowledge applicable to research beyond Waldinger’s sphere.

Currently, the Harvard Study joins forces with researchers from the Boston Veterans Administration, Northwestern University, the University of Malmo in Sweden, and Bryn Mawr College.

One of these collaborations investigates childhood lead exposure through air and water, examining its possible effects on physical and mental health by leveraging the study’s data on participants and the communities they hailed from, including lead exposure levels, and their health throughout their lifespans.

This joint study is also designed to explore whether prolonged effects of lead exposure influence rates of youth delinquency, educational dropouts, or the onset of dementia in later years.

Historically, the study has received funding primarily via grants from the National Institutes of Health, and since 2003, from the National Institute on Aging.

The Harvard Study hasn’t been impacted by recent funding reductions from the Trump administration; however, these cuts pose a danger to long-term inquiries, which rely on federal backing, acknowledged Waldinger.

“Numerous foundations might support a pilot grant,” noted Waldinger. “However, they often hesitate to sustain funding for an extended duration, understandably; yet the government can finance these extensive, protracted endeavors. The government remains the only funding source capable of doing so.”

In the case of the Harvard Study, federal funding has facilitated participant assessments and compensation, as well as remunerating research assistants who conduct in-person visits or phone interviews and collect and preserve data.

Moreover, a significant advantage of federally funded projects is that they foster the training of emerging scientists who will lead future research breakthroughs, emphasized Waldinger.

Longitudinal research, or the examination of individuals over time, is a specialized form of inquiry that necessitates advanced statistical methods. Over the years, countless undergraduate students, Ph.D. candidates, postdoctoral scholars, and junior faculty have received training from the Harvard Study, he stated.

Critics express concerns that the recent funding reductions might deter budding scientists from pursing research. Even if funding is reinstated in the next administration, the research pipeline will be affected, warned Waldinger. Some of his students may no longer view research as a dependable career, with many pivoting to clinical roles or business instead; the implications for the nation’s standing as a global leader in scientific inquiry and breakthroughs are alarming as well.

“My foremost concern is that we may cease to be the leading center for research,” expressed Waldinger.

“Many of our most pivotal discoveries arise from inquiries into fields that didn’t originally possess a direct practical application, leading to major findings.”

Additionally, a large portion of this research has driven economic innovation over the years, and cuts in funding jeopardize those achievements too. “Thus, even if your interest lies solely in financial matters rather than knowledge or science, it’s evident that this is a crucial area to sustain; losing this would mean losing our economic edge,” he asserted.