Natalia Correa is a student of Master's Degree in research in Social Sciences (MICS) and, in her work de Fin de Master's Degree, she intends to demonstrate that strong friendships can be fundamental to build solid marriages. The student from Quito (Ecuador) is concerned about Spain's divorce rate, with a marriage dissolution rate of 2.2 per 1,000 inhabitants, and has been compelled to do something about it.

What is causing couples who started out full of joy, hope and enthusiasm to abandon their project together, she asks. "I think one of the problems that marriage is experiencing today is due to a lack of solid boyfriend/girlfriend relationships," she says. The student believes that building relationships based on friendship avoids creating false hopes and financial aid to trust each other "despite problems or external factors".

"Young people need to stop being afraid of being in the friend-zone," he explains, as relationships based on "true friendship will be solid and transparent and will result in real communities." Ultimately written request, he believes that a strong marriage makes for a strong family which, in turn, makes for a strong society.

Correa studies the double pathway of Communication and Education at MICS thanks to a scholarship from the Social Trends Institute. "This opportunity has changed my life and I hope to be able to change the lives of others through my research," she concludes.

• Read the full interview on the Social Trends Institute website.