Can the lack of early memories of warmth and safeness explain loneliness and quality of life? A community sample study on young and middle-aged Portuguese adults

Abstract

Literature highlights the impact of loneliness on mental and physical wellbeing. Nonetheless, the link between loneliness and the distinct domains of quality of life has only been slightly explored. Moreover, the relationship between early affiliative memories and current feelings of loneliness still need to be studied. The main goal of this study was to explore how early memories of warmth and safeness and physical, psychological and social quality of life (QoL) are related through the mediating influences of loneliness, by testing a novel model in a community-based sample of 509 adult participants of both sexes. Path analysis results suggested that the lack of early memories of warmth and safeness is associated with higher levels of loneliness, which in turn, is associated with decreased physical, psychological and social quality of life. This model accounted for 22%, 45% and 41% of the variance of physical, psychological and social quality of life, respectively. This study seems to suggest that loneliness is a defensive response that may have its roots in the absence of early emotional experiences of warmth and safeness, which may become a conditioned mental representation of self and others that greatly influences one’s perceptions of one’s physical, psychological and social quality of life. Findings seem to support the relevance of addressing the abilities of warmth, kindness and compassion to overcome loneliness, and subsequently to promote physical, psychological and social well-being.