Felt understanding in same-sex friendships and subjective well-being among emerging adults

Feeling understood is an essential perception in close relationships and confers various intrapersonal benefits. However, it is not known if the perception of understanding in friendships is a reliable correlate and predictor of subjective well-being (SWB). Three studies (N = 790) investigated the role of felt understanding (FU) measured as global trait in SWB while taking the latter's well-established predictors at individual (e.g., personality) and relational (e.g., friendship quality) levels into account. Study 1 showed that FU was not redundant with the Big Five dimensions of personality, such that it explained additional variance in SWB. FU also accounted for unique variance in SWB while taking global evaluations of friendships (Study 2) into account. Study 3, a six-week longitudinal study, showed that FU and SWB were related at the cross-sectional level but did not predict each other longitudinally. The findings across the studies suggest that FU is a valuable and significant addition to the list of friendship experiences that are linked to SWB. The importance of assessing FU as a state vs. trait was discussed. Directions for future research that could enhance our understanding of the role of FU in SWB were also provided.