India, May 12 -- Do you consider your partner your best friend? If yes, you may be in the minority. A new study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships examined how romantic relationships and friendships intersect. It found that only 14 percent of US adults in relationships identify their partner as their best friend.

The research found that the individuals who said that their partners were their best friends reported greater companionship. Meanwhile, those with a separate best friend experienced higher perceived social support, highlighting the distinct benefits of different types of relationships.

The research was led by Natalie Pennington as part of the American Friendship Project. The study used data from 940 a...