Relationships are not a luxury but a necessity in life; they are the key to one's personal development and identity. Healthy relationships lead to greater productivity and career success. They also give meaning and quality to life. The quality of one's interpersonal relationships is also directly related to one's physical and psychological health. Several major studies have suggested that those with good relationships and a positive social support tended to live longer and stayed healthier than those with poor interpersonal support.

In addition, people's identity and success in life are built out of their relationships with others. People are not born with the knowledge of how to effectively relate to other people. Interpersonal and group skills must be learned. With healthy relationship skills one can more appropriately relate to others and can more readily resolve conflicts in order to establish and maintain healthy relationships, which are essential for living a productive and happy life.