New study finds a number of Australians don’t consider their close friends as family

A study has found more people count their pets as family than they do their close friends.

Research fellow at the Australian Institute of Family Studies, Dr Luke Gahan, says specific demographics were more likely to consider their close friends as family.

“We know LGBTQI people were more likely to have ‘chosen family’, as well women, and we know it was less amongst older generations from the inter-war period,” he told Ross and Russel.

Press PLAY to hear how many people consider close friends as family and how many count their pets as family

Image: iStock.