Biological aging results from the gradual accumulation of damage that reduces physiological function and increases susceptibility to disease. Even among individuals of the same chronological age, the rate of biological aging can vary considerably due to environmental, genetic, and social influences.
Advances in epigenetic biomarkers like DNA methylation-based clocks enable measurement of biological aging and its progression. While positive social relationships support health, negative relationships characterized by conflict or strain can generate stress, which may accelerate biological aging. The impact of negative social connections on health results needs exploration to understand their role to shape long term health trajectories.
The aim of this study was to examine whether exposure to negative social ties in individuals’ personal networks is linked to accelerated biological aging and poorer health outcomes. The study investigated the prevalence of hasslers in social networks, demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with having such ties, and whether the number and type of hasslers, specifically spouses, kin, or nonkin, predict faster epigenetic aging and broader health risks.
This study used data from the Person-to-Person Health Interview Study (P2P), a statewide probability-based health survey conducted in Indiana among adults aged 18 years and older. The analytic sample consisted of 2345 participants who provided both survey responses and saliva samples for epigenetic analysis. Biological aging was measured by using two advanced DNA methylation–based clocks: AgeAccelGrim2, which estimates cumulative biological age relative to chronological age, and DunedinPACE, which measures the current pace of biological aging. Social network data were collected by an egocentric network module in which participants listed individuals with whom they interacted over the previous six months.
Respondents reported whether each network member “often,” “occasionally,” “rarely,” or “never” caused problems or made life difficult; individuals reported as “often” doing so were classified as hasslers. The study calculated the number of hasslers in each respondent’s network and categorized them by relationship type (spouse, kin, or nonkin). Ordinary least squares regression models were used to assess associations between the number of hasslers and biological aging outcomes while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and technical variables. Additional sensitivity analyses accounted for potential confounders, including health status, smoking behavior, adverse childhood experiences, occupation, health insurance, and pandemic timing. Follow-up survey data were used to examine whether hassles predicted later health outcomes.
Participants ranged in age from 18 to 103 years, with an average age of 46.2 years. Social networks included an average of five members, and approximately 8.1% of network ties were identified as hasslers. Overall, 28.8% of participants reported having at least one hassler in their network, while about 10% reported having two or more.
Regression analyses showed that the presence and number of hasslers were associated with faster biological aging. Each additional hassler corresponded to about a 1.5% increase in the pace of aging and about 9 months of additional biological age relative to chronological age. Individuals reporting any hassles experienced an even greater effect, including a 2.6% faster aging rate and approximately 15 months of accelerated biological aging. Although these effects were modest, they accumulated over time and remained robust across multiple sensitivity analyses.
The biological consequences of negative ties varied by relationship type. Hasslers within kin relationships showed the strongest association with accelerated aging, likely because family ties are more enduring and difficult to avoid. Nonkin hasslers were also linked to higher biological age, and spousal hasslers showed no statistically significant association with aging measures.
Beyond epigenetic aging, a higher number of hassles was associated with poorer health outcomes across multiple domains, including greater depression and anxiety severity, worse self-rated mental and physical health, higher body mass index, and increased waist-to-hip ratio. Longitudinal follow-up analyses indicated that individuals with a higher number of hassles at baseline experienced greater declines in general, mental, and physical health over time.
This study highlights that negative social relationships may contribute to accelerated biological aging and poorer health outcomes. Conflicts, particularly within family dynamics, can act as chronic stressors that trigger physiological stress responses and inflammation, potentially influencing health trajectories throughout adulthood. Although causal inferences are limited by the study design, the findings suggest that reducing interpersonal strain and fostering supportive social environments may promote healthy aging and help mitigate age-related diseases.
Reference: Lee B, Ciciurkaite G, Peng S, Mitchell C, Perry BL. Negative social ties as emerging risk factors for accelerated aging, inflammation, and multimorbidity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026;123(8):e2515331123. doi:10.1073/pnas.2515331123
