Expression Of Loneliness Research Articles

The prevalence of existential anxiety and its association with depression, general anxiety, and stress in Saudi university students

BackgroundExistential anxiety (EA) is an expression of loneliness. Although depression, anxiety, and stress have been extensively studied worldwide, research on EA in the sociocultural context of the Arab–Muslim society is scarce. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of EA among undergraduate students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by examining the association between EA and depression, anxiety, and stress.ResultsThis cross-sectional study of 811 undergraduate students at three large Saudi universities was conducted between June and July 2018. Data collection involved demographic information, EA testing (using a validated questionnaire modified for the Saudi Arabian context), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale to test for depression, anxiety, and stress. The average age of the participants was 21 years, and 77.2% were female. The prevalence of EA was 71.1% in all students and was significantly correlated with depression (rp = 0.73, p < 0.001), general anxiety (rp = 0.47, p < 0.001), and stress (rp = 0.54, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThere was a high prevalence of EA among university students in Saudi Arabia, and EA was strongly correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress. This study emphasizes the importance of additional research on the underlying causes of EA among university students.

POSITIVE: experiences of an intervention aiming for reversing and preventing frailty using a home monitoring and communication platform within primary health care.

Frailty is increasing worldwide as the population ages. Physical activity is one component that has been shown to hinder and even reverse the process. The POSITIVE system (i.e., maintaining and imPrOving the intrinSIc capaciTy Involving primary care and caregiVErs) is a prevention program that consists of home-monitoring equipment and a communication platform to support the initial treatment of frailty symptoms in primary health care. The participants, older aged (+ 70) frail persons and those at risk for frailty, took part in the program that promoted physical activity at home for six months. The aim was to explore and describe older persons' experiences of participating in a new prevention program using the POSITIVE system including technological tools intended to prevent the development of frailty. Nine interviews were conducted about experiences of participating in an intervention including use of technological tools to support physical activity. Qualitative content analysis was applied. Two themes revealed: (1) Perceptions of being old are seldom positive, and (2) A rewarding and fruitful participation in the project with suggestions for improvement. Becoming older was related to physical pain and tiredness reducing the performance of former meaningful activities as well as an increase in mental stress. There was also a tendency to postpone the start of everyday activities, and in general, fewer activities were planned for one day than at younger ages. Participating in a physical activity intervention, including the use of technical tools, was considered meaningful and added motivation for engaging in other physical activities, this despite some difficulties with technical tools provided by the program. The contact with health care and the research team was appreciated. In addition, contact with other participants was requested and reported to be highly valued if added to the intervention, which could have been an expression of loneliness. Participation in a prevention program motivated activities and social interaction. Adding opportunities for participants to meet each other is suggested for improving the intervention in terms of increasing the social dimensions. Our findings conclude that despite difficulties with handling the technical tools for the home-monitoring and communication platform, participation in the POSITIVE intervention was in general a positive experience.

An investigation of simulated and real touch on feelings of loneliness

As a social species, humans deprived of contact find loneliness a potentially distressing condition. Recent research emphasises the influence of touch on alleviating loneliness. This research found that touch reduces feelings of neglect, a subscale of loneliness. Affectionate touch, which demonstrates care or affection, has been previously linked to well-being in couples. Here, we investigated whether the effect of simulated touch during a video conversation might be sufficient to influence feelings of loneliness. Sixty participants answered a survey about their home life and relationships, including items that assessed the frequency of touch and feelings of loneliness. Following this, they participated in an online video call with three conditions: audio only, audio and video, or audio, video with simulated touch (a virtual ‘high-five’). Finally, immediately after the call, they repeated the loneliness questionnaire. We found that loneliness scores were reduced following the call, but there was no difference among conditions and no effect of a virtual touch. However, we did find a significant association between the frequency of touch in a relationship and the expression of loneliness, with individuals in low-touch relationships having loneliness scores more comparable to single participants than to those in high-touch relationships. Additionally, extraversion played a major role in moderating the effect of touch in relationships. These results emphasise the importance of physical contact in lowering feelings of loneliness within relationships and the ability of calls to lower feelings of loneliness, regardless of whether they include video or simulated touch.

I feel you: Mixed-methods study of social support of loneliness on twitter

Loneliness is considered an epidemic in the United States due to its widespread and harmful effects to psychological and physiological well-being. Twitter provides the option of anonymity, a large audience and a space where feelings of loneliness can be expressed, and feedback received. In this mixed-methods study, based on a sample of 4 million tweets containing expressions of loneliness, we examine factors associated with eliciting feedback and types of possible social support therein. We examine feedback both quantitatively in terms of number of likes, retweets, and replies, and qualitatively by annotating its content. We apply the categorization of social support and test the applicability of concepts of directedness, person-centeredness and invisible support to a sample of replies. Supporting previous literature, we show that Twitter users with larger social networks and those who use a more positive language are more likely to receive feedback, conversely swearing is associated with fewer responses. Most common social support provided is emotional, followed by esteem and information support, all of which often include the elements of invisible support including smileys, images, and text formatting. However, there is a fraction of replies which may be considered online bullying, pointing to avenues of possible needs for intervention.

Predicting physical symptoms through expressions of loneliness and anxiety in individuals utilizing social media during SARS-CoV-2

The effect of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has produced significant health concerns negatively impacting individuals. As the ongoing and constantly changing nature of SARS-CoV-2 continues, the unique characteristics of this pandemic trend toward anxiety and loneliness as significant behavioral health outcomes. Furthermore, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has significantly impacted the utilization of social media platforms such as Twitter. Utilizing over 1.6 million tweets from approximately 988,760 Twitter users geolocated in Washington state from the University of Pennsylvania’s publicly available Twitter database (from March 2020 to March 2021), this study evaluated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 by using expressions of loneliness and anxiety to predict mental and physical symptoms. Bivariate correlations revealed expressions of loneliness were correlated to trouble breathing while expressions of anxiety were correlated to skin lesions, body aches, flu-like, seasonal cold, trouble breathing, nausea or diarrhea, fever, chills, and cough. Multiple multivariate linear regressions were completed, and a significant regression equation was found in predicting trouble breathing symptoms on expressions of loneliness and anxiety, however, the proportion of variance was 8% of the observed variation in the model. Further implications revealed the importance of understanding mental and physical well-being during a public health crisis as well as the use of social media platforms as primary and supplementary stimuli.

Expressions of loneliness: Different perspectives of loneliness among school deputy principals

The study of loneliness in the workplace has received extensive attention recently. However, there is a lack of research concerning loneliness within educational organizations and no study to date has examined loneliness among deputy principals. The current study examined deputy principals’ interpretation of loneliness in the workplace and posed two questions: (a) How do deputy principals interpret their experience of loneliness at work, specifically in regard to how it manifests across different contexts? (b) What do deputy principals note as the reasons for their feelings of loneliness at work across different contexts? Based on 19 semi-structured interviews with Israeli school deputy principals, four distinctive themes of loneliness expressions were found: (a) loneliness perceived as separateness, (b) loneliness perceived as abandonment, (c) aloneness in carrying the burden of responsibility, and (d) aloneness in commitment to the school. From an analysis of the deputy principals’ accounts, several insights are provided and practical implications are suggested.

Coping Mechanisms and Resilience in Later Life: The Role of Family and Friendship Ties in Diverse Settings

The papers in this symposium explore different aspects of social ties and how they act as critical coping mechanisms in the face of negative circumstances in later life. Using data from diverse settings, including China, Singapore, and the U.S., these papers underscore the importance of strong family and friendship ties, as they offer older adults with strong protection against social isolation and adverse health outcomes. Gupta and Pilai explore the similarity and differences in coping strategies/resilience among a diverse group of 30 U.S. older adults. Results point to the saliency of support from friends, regardless of race/ethnicity. Visaria addresses the relationship between the expression of loneliness and objective measures of social networks among older adults in Singapore. The findings shed light on how meaningful companionship and desired social connection offer powerful buffers against isolation in later life. Ruan and Chen explore which types of social ties offer the strongest protection when Chinese older adults are coping with the aftermath of negative life events. Findings point to the need to look beyond filial obligations and to consider the interplay among various forms of social support, including family, friends and the broader community. Zhang et al. examine the role of family and friendship ties in a rural Chinese community where many older adults were left behind by migrant children. The results suggest that those who are isolated from friends experience more depressive symptoms while those with close-knit friendship ties are the most resilient.

Changes in Social Networks as a Response to Loneliness Among Older Adults

The expression of loneliness suggests perceived social isolation and the lack of meaningful, rewarding and desired social connections. In this paper we seek to estimate whether loneliness among older adults is related to subsequent changes in two attributes of their social networks, i.e. the size and frequency of contact with network members. We use the Panel on Health and Ageing of Singaporean Elderly, a nationally representative study of older adults aged 60 years and older, conducted in 2009 (N=4990) with two follow-up waves in 2011 and 2015, and measure loneliness in terms of relational connectedness, i.e. feeling a lack of companionship, and social connectedness, i.e. feeling left out. Our preliminary analysis shows that loneliness is associated with a subsequent reduction in the size but not strength of social networks. We further propose to assess the causal relationship using cross-lagged panel analysis, thereby accounting for the possibility of a reciprocal relationship.

Co-Creating Culturally Nuanced Measures of Loneliness With Māori Elders

The growing international evidence on the impacts of social isolation and loneliness has profound implications for positive health status and wellbeing (Holt-Lunstad et. al. 2015). This raises important questions about how we measure loneliness, particularly in extended family cultures where loneliness may be experienced differently from western more individualistic cultures. In this research, key questions around loneliness and social isolation were co-created with Māori Elders and responses were compared with a standard international loneliness scale (De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale) to help identify universal aspects of loneliness and Māori specific aspects. The results demonstrated significant correlations between the co-created questions and the international scale. However, they also demonstrated substantial expressions of loneliness among older Māori that are not captured by standard scales showing the need for Māori specific scales which are more inclusive of their cultural norms and can provide more precise data for constructive policy making and service provision.

Gender differences in the expression of loneliness in older people living alone

Gender differences in the expression of loneliness in older people living alone

IS IT LONELY AT THE TOP? BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL VARIANTS OF LONELINESS AMONG CENTENARIANS

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the detrimental impact of loneliness on biological, psychological, and social functioning. Loneliness has been cited to contribute to social isolation, mental health disorders, and premature death in old age. In turn, the prevention of loneliness has emerged as a priority area in geriatric and gerontology research, practice, and policy. However, determination of whether persons living 100 or more years feel lonely or socially disconnected has remained limited within centenarian research. Such research has historically fostered translation of insights and secrets for living long and aging well. Centenarians represent persons who have managed to survive, delay, or escape varying biopsychosocial losses that might otherwise deteriorate emotional health, exacerbate feelings of isolation, and limit human longevity potentials. Guided by a biopsychosocial framework, this symposium will consider biological, psychological, and social variants that contribute to risk as well as resilience in loneliness in very old age. Of particular interest is the advancement of evidence-based research exposing the interplay between loneliness and nutritional health, impact of lifelong childlessness on feelings of solitude, role of personality traits and the expression of loneliness, and the intersection between active religious engagement and loneliness. Biopsychosocial attributes that reduce the threat of social isolation and loneliness, as well as improve emotional well-being in human longevity will be further discussed. Implications relevant for geriatric counseling and wellness programming for old-old adults will be highlighted.

«Il aurait fallu… égorger Madame avec délectation»: appunti di lettura di “Les Serviteurs” di Jean-Luc Lagarce

In Les Serviteurs (1981) a group of servants tells and retells the doubtful story of Madame and Monsieur‘s death: they are closed in a claustrophobic dimension of space and time, unable even to imagine for themselves rebellion or any other future. Despite being one of his first pieces, it already shows all the peculiarities of Lagarce’s dramaturgy: emptiness of characters, diegetic dialogs, estrangement effects in space and time. The hypotext Les Bonnes by Jean Genet is explicitly evocated, both by citations and the presence of the theme of disguise, alongside with the metatheatrical effects. However, Lagarce uses these strategies to serve his own philosophical vision: his piece, in fact, even if it is not without touches of social criticism, is above all the expression of loneliness “for inadequacy”, which is the core of Lagarce’s dramaturgy.

Feeling Lonely Versus Being Alone: Loneliness and Social Support Among Recently Bereaved Persons

Despite increases in social support following widowhood, loneliness is among the most frequently reported challenges of bereavement. This analysis explores the dynamic relationship between social support and loneliness among recently bereaved older adults. Using longitudinal data from "Living After Loss" (n = 328), latent growth curve modeling was used to estimate changes in loneliness and social support during the first year and a half of bereavement among older adults aged 50+. Both loneliness and social support declined over the first year and a half of bereavement. Greater social support was associated with lower levels of loneliness overall, but the receipt of social support did not modify one's expression of loneliness over time. Loneliness was more highly correlated with support from friends than family. Together, social support from both friends and family accounted for 36% of the total variance in loneliness. There is conceptual and empirical overlap between the concepts of loneliness and social support, but results suggest that loneliness following widowhood cannot be remedied by interventions aimed only at increasing social support. Social support, especially that from friends, appears to be most effective if it is readily accessible and allows the newly bereaved an opportunity to express him/herself.

Older Persons' Experiences of Loneliness: A South African Perspective

The aim of this study was to understand and describe older persons' experiences of loneliness and their perceptions of the factors contributing to loneliness and ways of managing loneliness. The study comprised 31 research participants (males = 3, females = 28, mean age = 74.26, SD = 9.21; ethnicity: blacks = 15, whites = 16), and a qualitative phenomenological approach was used. The data were analysed on the basis of the phenomenological method, that is, the meaning units were identified and used to determine the psychological sense of the older persons' experiences of loneliness. Three main themes emerged: expressions of loneliness, contributing factors to loneliness and coping with loneliness. The findings confirmed that loneliness is a multifaceted phenomenon and that constructions of loneliness should be understood in the socio-cultural context in which older persons function. Sudden changes in the older persons' relation with their familiar environment contributed to their loneliness, and insight was gained into the positive and active coping skills they employed to adapt to the challenges of loneliness and how they grew from their loneliness.