Exploring the Frequency, Intensity, and Duration of Loneliness: A Latent Class Analysis of Data from the BBC Loneliness Experiment.

Pamela Qualter,Manuela Barreto,Sana-Arub Arshad,Kimberly Petersen,Christina Victor,Claudia Hammond

doi:10.3390/ijerph182212027

Abstract

Almost all measures of loneliness have been developed without discussing how to best conceptualize and assess the severity of loneliness. In the current study, we adapted the four-item UCLA, so that it continued to measure frequency of loneliness, but also assessed intensity and duration, providing a measure of other aspects of loneliness severity. Using data from participants resident in the UK who completed the BBC Loneliness Experiment (N = 36,767; F = 69.6%) and Latent Class Profile Analyses, we identified four groups of people who scored high on loneliness on at least one of the three severity measures. Duration of loneliness often over months or years seemed to be particularly important in distinguishing groups. Further, group membership was predicted by important demographic and psychological variables. We discuss the findings in terms of implications for research and practice. We highlight the need to explore these profiles longitudinally to investigate how membership predicts later mental and physical health, and well-being.

Highlights

Loneliness is commonly defined as an unpleasant psychological reaction to the absence of desired social relations [1] related to either the quality or the quantity of social connections
Using Latent Class Analysis (LCA), we explored whether there were groups of people that showed similar patterns across the different severity aspects of loneliness, and whether we could predict group membership from demographic information and other variables completed as part of the BBC Loneliness
In the current study, using data from participants residing in the UK who completed the BBC Loneliness Experiment, we explored different aspects of severity of loneliness

Summary

Introduction

Loneliness is commonly defined as an unpleasant psychological reaction to the absence of desired social relations [1] related to either the quality or the quantity of social connections. It is an unpleasant experience for individuals, accompanied by psychological distress [2]; whether experienced in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, or old age, when describing loneliness, people mention emotions such as sadness, emptiness, stress, frustration, anger, anxiety, and boredom [3]. The severity of loneliness has been most often quantified as the frequency with which loneliness is experienced. The current focus on frequency of the loneliness experience is not the only way to explore the severity of loneliness, which may, instead, be best conceptualized in terms of intensity or duration, or a combined assessment

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