Concerning Pokemon friends I definitely think so, I think human friends is something he needed a recent checkup on, since while he was used to having company along his travels, it felt like they were becoming more passive and formal. He liked them enough, but they didn't feel as close, and he just let them do their thing while he did his. XY felt like him at his most 'automatic', while his Pokemon had their usual turmoils that brought out his occasional emotional side, the companions were at their most laid back and their were no big distractions for him along his quest (all the others' agendas were kinda restricted for them so he couldn't really take part).
SM felt like a huge refresh for him, having far more time to immerse into the lives and activities of those around him, and truly understand who they were. There was an awkwardness around Lillie in the AF arc in particular that I thought demonstrated this, he was used to emoting around Pokemon more than people and things just being a laid back journey with some antics and games with the humans. A couple times he was accidentally careless or insensitive around Lillie I think hit him hard and he started to really care about her problems and go out of his comfort zone to watch over her. She wasn't just another independent companion, she was a troubled girl that needed direct support and love.
This is something I think kinda rings well with how Ash was originally set out, since he was implied to be something of an outcast and a 'loser' in Kanto's harsh community before becoming a trainer, hoping becoming a Master would give him some prestige and approval. As time passed he calmed, but became more used to bonding with Pokemon, who he had realised treat him with respect and loyalty (most of the time). Now we're in Alola, where Ash is once again something of a weirdo and a butt monkey (if a more experienced less insecure one), but within a community that is very loving and close knit, and welcomes Ash with open arms into their family, which is becoming more of a pleasant distraction for him. It is fitting that it is also a region that thus far puts much less emphasis on becoming stronger and getting an occupation/life goal as quickly as possible, a total opposite to Kanto. Ash started off miles ahead of the Alola companions, and has actually stayed that way for the large part, but he still stops to have fun and bond with them, finding lots of mutuality between some of them.