Experience Of Loneliness Research Articles

Social Networking and the Experience of Loneliness

Social Networking and the Experience of Loneliness

Autism, pets, and the importance of seeing human.

People often see the human in the nonhuman, a process called anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is particularly prolific regarding the humanization of pets. Some research suggests that people with autism may not anthropomorphize to the same degree as neurotypicals. In this study, we explored whether there were differences in how autistic and neurotypical pet owners anthropomorphized their pets. We also examined differences in levels of connectedness to nature and experiences of loneliness and how this corresponded to autistic traits in the entire sample. We found anthropomorphism was as common among autistic pet owners as in neurotypicals. However, autistic pet owners reported greater loneliness and were more likely to substitute pets for people. We also found that neurotypical pet owners rated pets more highly on physical, non-anthropomorphic traits (i.e., muscular, active). In contrast, autistic pet owners were likelier to rate pets equally between physical and anthropomorphic traits. Moreover, we found that anthropomorphism and connection to nature were positively correlated with autistic traits. These findings challenge accounts stating that individuals with autism may not anthropomorphize to the same degree as neurotypicals. Implications for animal-based interventions supporting adults on the spectrum are discussed.

The Risks of Experiencing Severe Loneliness Across Middle and Late Adulthood.

From a theoretical point of view, older adults may not necessarily face a greater risk of becoming lonely than middle-aged adults but are more likely at a disadvantage in fighting loneliness. Therefore, in this study, we differentiate between the risk of becoming lonely and the risk of remaining lonely. A large longitudinal data set representative of the German noninstitutionalized population from 40 to 85 years of age (N = 15,408; 49% female participants) was used in the analysis. Lagged logistic regression models were estimated to investigate the effect of earlier experiences of severe loneliness on the risk of being lonely after three years across middle age and late adulthood. Individual differences in health, views on aging, and social activities were taken into account to explore their role in age differences in the risk of remaining lonely. The analysis revealed marginal age differences in the risk of becoming lonely but a marked age gradient regarding the risk of remaining lonely. Lonely older adults who were older than 75 years of age were more likely to remain lonely after three years than lonely middle-aged adults. Controlling for individual differences in health, views on aging as social loss, and social activities accounted for this age difference. Interventions against loneliness may prioritize older age groups because losses in capacities, shifts in motivations, and a degraded opportunity structure render it increasingly less likely that older adults leave a state of loneliness on their own accord.

“Holders of knowledge are communities, not academic institutions”: lessons from involving minoritised older people as co-researchers in a study of loneliness in later life

ABSTRACT A growing body of work suggests that co-research with older adults contributes to a better understanding of later experienced health and social problems. Yet, few studies have involved minoritised older people as co-researchers, and there has been a lack of critical appraisal of challenges encountered in the process. In response, this paper presents lessons from a project which was aimed at co-producing research to explore experiences of loneliness with and by ethnically and sexually minoritised older people (50+) in Greater Manchester (United Kingdom). The paper presents findings based upon field notes and focus groups with ten older co-researchers reflecting on their motivations,roles, and responsibilities. Four themes will be critically assessed: power and privilege; co-research as an extractive process; co-ownership; and time and financial constraints. At the core of this paper is an examination of how the power held by academics shape opportunities for individuals to meaningfully engage in co-research.

Fear, Loneliness, Happiness and Mental Health in the Post-COVID-19 Period: A Cross-Cultural Study in a Sample of Japanese and Polish University Students.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, interpersonal relations were highly constrained due to the social distancing rules and sanitary restrictions imposed to prevent the transmission of the virus. These social changes gave rise to ever-deepening experiences of loneliness, deterioration of mental well-being, and fear of COVID-19, which affected the citizens of all the countries struggling with the pandemic. The present paper reports the results of a study on mental health, interdependent happiness, loneliness and fear of COVID-19 in Polish and Japanese university students. A total of 180 people (83 Poles and 97 Japanese) aged 19-41 participated in the study. The participants were surveyed using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form to assess three dimensions of mental health; the UCLA Three-Item Loneliness Scale to measure loneliness; the Interdependent Happiness Scale based on the concept of a relational sense of community with others as associated with well-being, and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). The respondents were also asked one question about their subjectively perceived economic status. The largest cross-cultural difference in the investigated variables concerned fear of COVID-19. The Japanese university students showed higher levels of this fear. The level of fear of COVID-19 in the group of women, regardless of the culture they came from, was not associated with any other variables we analyzed. In the Japanese sample, it was negatively correlated with interdependent happiness, and in the Polish sample, fear od COVID-19 was only correlated with the Social dimension of Mental Health. Other variables that differentiated the two nationalities, though to a lesser extent, were the Social dimension of Mental Health, which was higher in the Japanese sample, and the Psychological dimension of Social Health, with higher scores in the Polish sample. The power of mental resources, although it may vary among individuals, is independent of culture. Regardless of the level of fear of COVID-19 in the two cultures, the examined mental resources are positively associated with well-being and the return to normal functioning after the pandemic.

Comparative analysis of reflection, personal maturity and self-actualization in young people with different types of loneliness experience

Comparative analysis of reflection, personal maturity and self-actualization in young people with different types of loneliness experience

LONELINESS IN OLD AGE: A STUDY OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN LATVIA

The article discusses the peculiarities of loneliness among elderly people in Latvia. The study involved 98 people aged 65 to 86 living in different social conditions: alone, with relatives, or in a retirement home (Latvia). Psychometric characteristics of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), adapted by the author, are presented. The survey results show the views of the elderly on old age and loneliness, feelings arising from loneliness, relationships with others, peers, and communication skills. The reasons for loneliness and the peculiarities of behavior during loneliness were studied. The experience of loneliness is also analyzed depending on social conditions.

Loneliness in times of war

ABSTRACT The therapist’s experience of living through wartime in Ukraine draws her to Winnicott’s notion of the developmental capacity to be alone. The author examines the loss of a witnessing experience, a self-with-other containment, when one is violently displaced from home, family, and community. This loss of safety where “no one is present for anyone” leads to an exploration of the impact of the therapist’s dissociation and how it disables their capacity to be emotionally present for themselves and their patients. The author highlights the solitary nature of trauma and the existential experience of loneliness as a critical feature for patients and therapists alike.

An exploration of loneliness experienced by people living with mental illness and the impact on their recovery journey: An integrative review.

INTRODUCTION: To our knowledge, there are no previous reviews on the impact of loneliness experienced by people aged 18-65, who are living with mental illness and their recovery experience. To explore the experience and impact of loneliness in people living with mental illness during recovery. An integrative review. A total of 17 papers met the inclusion criteria. The search was conducted using four electronic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and PsycINFO. Across these 17 papers, participants were most commonly, diagnosed with schizophrenia or psychotic disorders and recruited from community mental health services. The review revealed loneliness to be substantial in people living with mental illness and that loneliness affected their recovery, and their quality of life. The review identified many factors that contribute to loneliness including unemployment, financial strain, social deprivation, group housing, internalized stigma and mental illness symptoms. Individual factors such as social/community integration and social network size as well as an inability to trust, a sense of not belonging, hopelessness and lack of romance were also evident. Interventions targeting social functioning skills and social connectedness were found to improve social isolation and loneliness. It is vital for mental health nursing practice to employ an approach integrating physical health as well as social recovery needs, optimal service delivery and augmentation of evidence-based clinical practice to improve loneliness, recovery, and quality of life.

Межличностные отношения, переживание одиночества и темперамент студентов транспортного вуза

Purpose: to study the subjective assessment of interpersonal relationships, loneliness experiences and temperament characteristics among students of a transport university. The object of empirical research were: boys and girls aged from 17 to 22 years, 56 people, of which 25 girls and 31 boys of PGUPS. Methods. Analytical-theoretical, testing. The analysis of the results was carried out using mathematical and statistical data processing using the criteria of difference (Student's t-test), correlation analysis (Pearson correlation criterion). Methods: Subjective assessment of interpersonal relationships, S. V. Dukhnovsky, questionnaire of loneliness experiences in adaptation by E. A. Manakova, personality questionnaire by G. Aizenka. Results: It is proved that the indicators of all respondents are at an average level, which characterizes modern students as people with a moderate degree of intensity of tension, alienation, conflict in relationships, not vividly experiencing all types of loneliness. Gender differences were obtained: the results of the girls were significantly higher on the scales of "Neuroticism", "Tension", "Experiencing loneliness as a negative feeling", which characterizes the female sample as more vulnerable from the point of view of stress resistance. Young men tend to experience most of the types of loneliness with an increase in the desire to distance themselves from other people, lack of trust. At the same time, all the studied students are characterized by the development of negative interpersonal manifestations with increasing feelings of loneliness in relationships. Practical significance: The results of this study can be used in the framework of educational and correctional-developmental work at the university, as well as as the basis of programs aimed at the development of self-regulation, especially in a group of girls and communicative trainings for young men, which in the future will help future specialists in the field of transport to become successful professionals.

"Live Gerontology": Understanding and Representing Aging, Loneliness, and Long-Term Care Through Science and Art.

This article proposes an expansive conceptualization of gerontological research by engaging with a "live gerontology" that combines sciences and arts to better understand and represent aging and its diverse meanings and contexts. Borrowing the sociological concept of "live methods," we argue that gerontology can benefit from a "live" approach-not only methodologically, but also conceptually. To guide pathways between artistic and gerontological fields and frame its practices and outcomes, we suggest four propositions for a live gerontology: (1) using multiple genres to artfully connect the whole-interweaving micro-, meso-, and macrolevels to contextualize aging within various sociocultural milieus; (2) fostering the use of the senses to capture more than just what people say-what they do, display, and feel; (3) enabling a critical inventiveness by relying on arts' playfulness to design/refine instruments; and (4) ensuring a constant reflection on ethics of representation and public responsibility. To apply and experiment with a live gerontological approach, we describe collaborations with an award-winning writer and an illustrator. The collaborations drew on qualitative data from a study on lived experiences of loneliness in long-term care through ethnography and interviews with residents of 2 Australian facilities. The writer explored participants' accounts as creative stories, which were then illustrated. Motivated by an ethics of representation, we aimed to represent findings without othering or further marginalizing participants. The creative materials offered more than appealing representations, shining new light on the intricate nature of aging, loneliness, institutionalization, and gerontology research and practice.

The mental labyrinth of postgraduate research: a qualitative study of postgraduate mental health and wellbeing and the impact of the supervisory relationship

AbstractPostgraduate research students (PGRs) experience disproportionately high levels of psychological distress. Many factors contribute to this poor mental wellbeing and relate to each other in complex and dynamic ways. However, the relationship between PGRs and their supervisor(s) is known to strongly affect the wellbeing of the former. This study explores the mental health and wellbeing of PGRs with a focus on the role of the student—supervisor relationship. Using combined qualitative data from a large survey of PGRs and focus groups and reflexive thematic analysis, we found that PGRs experience the overarching process of obtaining a research degree as a mental labyrinth. Three constituent themes were identified: (1) inequity in navigating the labyrinth, (2) the labyrinth as a place of uncertainty and isolation, and (3) supervisors as labyrinth guides, not mental care providers. The results suggest that significant inequities exist which contribute to poorer mental wellbeing in particular subgroups of PGRs, both in general and specifically in relation to the supervisory relationship. Experiences of loneliness and ambiguity around progress were also identified as being detrimental to mental health. Furthermore, although supervisors can be a vital source of support and have a positive influence on PGR mental health, students recognise supervisors cannot reasonably be expected to act as professional mental health care providers and institutions must do more to provide equitable access to mental health support services.

Storytelling in palliative and end-of-life care

British Journal of Community NursingVol. 28, No. 6 Palliative CareStorytelling in palliative and end-of-life careBrian NyatangaBrian NyatangaE-mail Address: [email protected]Senior Lecturer, Three Counties School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of WorcesterSearch for more papers by this authorBrian NyatangaPublished Online:1 Jun 2023https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2023.28.6.274AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Beach B, Bamford SM. Isolation:the emerging crisis for older men: a report exploring experiences of social isolation and loneliness among older men in England. 2014. https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/isolation-the-emerging-crisis-for-older-men-a-report-exploring-experiences-of-social-isolation-and-loneliness-among-older-men-in-england (accessed 5 May 2023) Google ScholarTzouvara V, Papadopoulos C, Randhawa G. A narrative review of the theoretical foundations of loneliness. Br J Community Nurs. 2015;20(7):329-334. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2015.20.7.329 Link, Google ScholarYouell J, Ward A. Why use storytelling in palliative care? 2016. https://ehospice.com/uk_posts/why-use-storytelling-in-palliative-care/ (accessed 5 May 2023) Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 2 June 2023Volume 28Issue 6ISSN (print): 1462-4753ISSN (online): 2052-2215 Metrics History Published online 1 June 2023 Published in print 2 June 2023 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Study of the Relationship Between Loneliness and Suicidal Risks among the Adolescents and the Elderly

The article presents the results of the study which identifies the concatenation between loneliness and the degree of suicidal risk among teenagers and the elderly. Subject being examined: loneliness and suicidal risk from the point of view of their concatenation among teenagers and the elderly. The methods which were used are the Differential Questionnaire showing the Experience of Loneliness (E. N. Osin, D. A. Leontiev), the method of diagnosing the level of subjective feeling of loneliness (D. Russell, M. Ferguson), the method «Map of the risk of suicides» (modified by L. B. Schneider), the SAD PERSONS Scale (Patterson et al.), Hopelessness Inventory (A. Beck), mathematical and statistical analysis. The study is novel in that it is for the first time when the system of concatenation between the experience of loneliness and suicidal tendencies among teenagers and the elderly was developed. As part of the study, there was established the concatenation between the experience of loneliness and the level of suicidal risk in both groups among those being examined. The research shows that the subjective understanding of the level of one's real loneliness as high, the negative attitude towards one's loneliness and the dependence on communication are associated with a high level of suicidal risk, while the positive attitude towards loneliness and a low degree of experiencing real loneliness are associated with a low level of suicidal risk. The results obtained prove that there is a way to overcome the negative aspects of loneliness and reduce the number of suicides, which is connected with a change of one's attitude towards loneliness, the ability to self-control, the ability to find and use the internal and external resources of the individual. The conclusions reached will be useful for both psychologists and professionals working with teenagers and elderly citizens.

Understanding the psychological experiences of loneliness in later life: qualitative protocol to inform technology development

ObjectivesLoneliness is a public health issue impacting the health and well-being of older adults. This protocol focuses on understanding the psychological experiences of loneliness in later life to inform technology...

Can You Hear Me? Exploring the use of a sing‐along audio program as a method for creative community engagement in times of continued isolation

AbstractBackgroundLoneliness in older adults has been linked to accelerated cognitive and functional decline. Furthermore, lonely individuals are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. This was before COVID‐19 and the isolation that older adults are experiencing disproportionately. Engagement in singing groups and other creative experiences has been shown to address the health and wellbeing of older adults, including their experience of connectedness, loneliness and isolation. Can You Hear Me? was developed as an alternative to in‐person singing groups in times of continued isolation due to the COVID‐19 pandemic.Method Can You Hear Me? is a sing‐along audio program highlighting the voices and music of elders in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Unlike typical receptive audio programs, Can You Hear Me? has participatory elements that give listeners the opportunity to sing along to familiar songs, learn about organizations in the area and how to get involved, and contribute to the show by sending in their responses to creative prompts. The program will also implement a repeat design 25‐item Listener Survey, which will be utilized to understand more about listeners’ wellbeing and perceptions of loneliness and aging, as well as for quality improvement.ResultNow in its second season, this podcast‐style audio program is exploring an alternative model for creative individual and community engagement. Strategic community partners are assisting in the development of the program as a resource for individuals living in the community with Alzheimer’s disease and their carers, as well as in care homes when group engagement is still not feasible or possible.ConclusionIn the absence of a cure for dementia, Alzheimer’s, or COVID‐19, it is imperative that we work to build ways for elders to be socially connected wherever they live and provide opportunities for them to engage actively and creatively. Can You Hear Me? provides just such an initiative, to be a model for arts‐driven community engagement through an audio program that not only addresses health inequities and stigmas of aging and dementia, but also has the capacity to enhance wellbeing and connect people, even in times of isolation.

The Relationship between Social Support Correlates and Feelings of Loneliness among Male UK Recreational Anglers.

The benefits of access to blue spaces (exposure to aquatic environments) have been well reported. One common activity conducted in these spaces is recreational angling. Studies have shown that several correlates are associated with recreational angling, including a lower incidence of anxiety disorders compared to non-anglers. What is currently unknown is how measures of social support relate to feelings of loneliness in this population. The aim of this study, therefore, is to examine experiences of loneliness and social support in male UK anglers. In total, 1752 participants completed an online survey. The results of this study showed that the higher the number of friends or family that anglers hear from and feel close to, the less likely they are to report a lack of companionship, the less likely they are to report feeling left out, and the less likely they are to report feelings of isolation. Furthermore, more than half of the sample reported hardly ever or never having feelings of loneliness, suggesting that recreational angling does not affect feelings of loneliness.

‘From a guy’s perspective’? Male students, masculinity and autobiographical loneliness narratives

ABSTRACT While student loneliness is increasingly visible on the research agenda, the relationship between gender and loneliness among students remains unclear. This article employs a feminist perspective on loneliness to interrogate the role of masculinity in shaping male students’ experiences of loneliness at a UK Russell Group university. We argue that a feminist approach to male students’ loneliness decentres masculinity as an explanatory and potentially pathologizing discourse for understanding their experiences of loneliness. Our analysis of male students’ autobiographical loneliness narratives at university highlights a range of other factors shaping their experiences of isolation at university, such as transitioning to the university environment and navigating a range of ways to be social.

Helps you, helps me? Provision of instrumental and personal care and loneliness among adults aged 50 years and older during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeTo examine the association between provision of instrumental and personal care, and loneliness in adults aged 50 years and older during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instrumental care referred to the provision of assistance with obtaining necessary or essential products and/or services, whereas personal care referred to the assistance with daily life activities or the provision of emotional support. Social capital and caregiver stress theories served as the study's theoretical framework. Materials and methodsThe data were obtained from the two COVID-19 waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) conducted in 2020 and 2021. The data were analyzed using logistic regression models. The analytical sample consisted of 48,722 adults in the abovementioned age bracket residing in Europe and Israel. ResultsProviding instrumental care negatively related to loneliness. Providing instrumental care to a single category of people negatively related to loneliness, whereas providing personal care to multiple categories of people positively related to loneliness. Providing personal care to children positively related to loneliness. ConclusionsThe results suggest that different types of care provision correspond differently to the experience of loneliness while partially supporting both theoretical frameworks. Moreover, care indicators correspond differently to loneliness. The results imply that for a better understanding of the link between care provision and loneliness in later life, various parameters as well as various types of care provision should be examined.

The gender dimensions of mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A path analysis.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a substantial population mental health impact, with evidence indicating that mental health has deteriorated in particular for women. This gender difference could be explained by the distinct experiences of women during the pandemic, including the burden of unpaid domestic labour, changes in economic activity, and experiences of loneliness. This study investigates potential mediators in the relationship between gender and mental health during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK. We used data from 9,351 participants of Understanding Society, a longitudinal household survey from the UK. We conducted a mediation analysis using structural equation modelling to estimate the role of four mediators, measured during the first lockdown in April 2020, in the relationship between gender and mental health in May and July 2020. Mental health was measured with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Standardized coefficients for each path were obtained, as well as indirect effects for the role of employment disruption, hours spent on housework, hours spent on childcare, and loneliness. In a model controlling for age, household income and pre-pandemic mental health, we found that gender was associated with all four mediators, but only loneliness was associated with mental health at both time points. The indirect effects showed strong evidence of partial mediation through loneliness for the relationship between gender and mental health problems; loneliness accounted for 83.9% of the total effect in May, and 76.1% in July. No evidence of mediation was found for housework, childcare, or employment disruption. The results suggest that the worse mental health found among women during the initial period of the Covid-19 pandemic is partly explained by women reporting more experiences of loneliness. Understanding this mechanism is important for prioritising interventions to address gender-based inequities that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.