Abstract
Loneliness and cognitive distortions have serious negative effects on life satisfaction and are seen as related to each other. However, what mediates in these relationships has not been adequately analyzed. This study aims to analyze the effect between cognitive distortions and life satisfaction by asserting the mediating role of loneliness. For this purpose, we conducted a cross-sectional study with 978 people over the age of 20 from various parts of Turkey using a general screening model. Firstly, we analyzed the direct effect of interpersonal rejection, interpersonal misperception, and unrealistic relationship expectation, which are sub-dimensions of cognitive distortions, loneliness, and life satisfaction. Secondly, we analyzed the effects of independent, mediation, and interaction (Loneliness X age) variables on satisfaction with life. Thirdly, we applied direct regression analysis between independent, mediating, and dependent variables to conduct the mediation analysis of the study. Also, we examined age as a moderator between loneliness and life satisfaction. The results showed loneliness as an essential determinant between cognitive distortions and life satisfaction. Moreover, in the moderation analysis, we found some age-related differences between loneliness and life satisfaction. According to this, both loneliness and life satisfaction increased with increasing age. However, life satisfaction decreased as loneliness increased in young people. Being able to compensate for loneliness in the aging process is an essential psychological indicator. Although young people have more opportunities than older people, their ability to cope with negative situations such as loneliness is largely undeveloped. These results showed both psychological and sociological problems of loneliness. Therefore, the results can be useful for the prevention of loneliness and the development of intervention programs.
Highlights
Social relationships are at the center of human life, and loneliness represents a problem that people of almost all societies and ages can encounter in their social relationships [1]
This study has proven the negative effects of loneliness on cognitive distortions and decreased life satisfaction within these conditions
Since it is known that processes such as pandemics that occur at a certain time increase loneliness due to social isolation, these social and psychological consequences are predicted
Summary
Social relationships are at the center of human life, and loneliness represents a problem that people of almost all societies and ages can encounter in their social relationships [1]. Factors such as longer life expectancy, preference for fewer children, increase in divorce rates, and moving away from the intimate environment for education or work have triggered individuals to live a more isolated life than others [2]. All these changes reduce people’s social experiences and, as a result, reveal loneliness [3]. According to the results of the survey study by the EU Income and Living Conditions Statistics unit on how lonely EU and candidate country citizens feel themselves; 6.7% of Europeans Individuals have become lonelier due to increased social isolation, especially after the emergence of COVID-19 [5]. 4.0/).
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