Differences In Loneliness Research Articles

Loneliness and Social Connectedness Among Rural Older Adults Since the COVID-19 Pandemic Onset

Since 2006, the Georgetown University School of Medicine has offered a two-week elective in Geriatrics for third-year medical students. Students rotate through diverse clinical experiences, including general geriatrics, geriatric neurology, physical medicine & rehabilitation, memory disorders, Parkinson’s and dementia, and palliative care. In addition, students learn about arts, humanities & ethics, communication skills, and taking the patient’s perspective. In Fall 2019, pre-pandemic, we added virtual reality (VR) experiences focused on hearing & vision loss, Alzheimer’s disease, and end-of-life conversations created by Embodied Labs. Curricular goals included increasing students’ empathy and sensitivity, decreasing ageism & stereotyping, and increasing clinical knowledge. Findings suggest regardless of pandemic (pre vs. during) or modality (in-person vs. Zoom) that after participating in the VR labs, students are slightly more comfortable taking care of older adult patients with dementia as well as hearing & vision loss, and participating in end-of-life conversations.

Loneliness Progression Among Older Adults During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States and Canada.

ObjectivesOlder adults are at high risk for complications from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Health guidelines recommend limiting physical contact during the pandemic, drastically reducing opportunities for in-person social exchange. Older adults are also susceptible to negative consequences from loneliness, and the COVID-19 pandemic has likely exacerbated this age-related vulnerability.MethodsIn 107 community-dwelling older individuals (65–90 years, 70.5% female) from Florida, the United States, and Ontario, Canada, we examined change in loneliness over the course of the pandemic after implementation of COVID-19-related physical distancing guidelines (March–September 2020; T1–T5; biweekly concurrent self-report) using multilevel modeling. We also explored gender differences in loneliness during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic at both data collection sites.ResultsConsistent across the 2 sites, levels of loneliness remained stable over time for the full sample (T1–T5). However, our exploratory moderation analysis suggested gender differences in the trajectory of loneliness between the United States and Canada, in that older men in Florida and older women in Ontario reported an increase in loneliness over time.DiscussionLeveraging a longitudinal, binational data set collected during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study advances understanding of stability and change in loneliness among a North American sample of individuals aged 65 and older faced with the unique challenges of social isolation. These results can inform public health policy in anticipation of future pandemics and highlight the need for targeted intervention to address acute loneliness among older populations.

Neighborhood Characteristics, Neighborhood Satisfaction, and Loneliness Differences Across Ethnic-Migrant Groups in Australia.

Loneliness is an important concern for older adults. Studies have linked demographic characteristics with loneliness, showing that it varies by ethnic and migrant statuses in countries in Europe and North America. Characteristics of the physical environment in which older adults are embedded have also received some attention, though prior studies have not fully investigated whether older adults from different ethnic-migrant backgrounds may report variation in loneliness because of characteristics of, or satisfaction with, their neighborhoods, which may shape their social interactions. Drawing on up to 4 waves of data from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia Surveys and random-effects models, I examine whether loneliness differs across ethnic/migrant groups in the Australian context. Furthermore, I examine whether neighborhood characteristics (its conditions and sociality) and satisfaction with the neighborhood (with its safety, with the neighborhood itself, and with "feeling part of the local community") may be mediators for the association between ethnic-migrant status and loneliness. Findings show migrants from non-English-speaking countries report higher levels of loneliness, as compared with native-born, non-Indigenous Australians. More favorable neighborhood characteristics and higher levels of satisfaction with different aspects of the neighborhood are consistently associated with lower levels of loneliness. Neighborhood sociality and satisfaction with aspects of the neighborhood partially mediated the association between ethnicity status and loneliness for migrants from non-English-speaking countries. This study showed loneliness differs across older Australians of different ethnic and migrant backgrounds. It also showed how loneliness differences are explained by different mechanisms.

Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of loneliness among older people and to identify risk factors for loneliness in a Nordic regional context over a six-year period. Longitudinal data from the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) study of 4,269 older adults living in northern Sweden and western Finland, aged 65, 70, 75 and 80 at baseline in 2010, were analysed. Logistic regressions were used to analyse socio-demographic, social and health-related risk factors at baseline and changes in these for experiences of loneliness at follow-up. The results showed that most older adults (85%) did not experience loneliness at baseline or at follow-up in our study region. However, 3 per cent of the sample reported loneliness in both study years, indicating enduring and chronic loneliness. Analyses revealed that being widowed and becoming a widow/er as well as poor self-rated health at baseline and the onset of depression were risk factors for loneliness. Finally, the risk of loneliness was higher in older people living in Sweden. Further work is needed to explore changes and stability in loneliness as well as to increase our understanding of between-country differences in loneliness.

Loneliness and Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Adolescents

Information and communication technology (ICT) is an important part of teenagers' lives. In addition to keeping them connected to the social environment, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic situation, ICT makes it easier for teenagers to get the various information they need. This study aims to look at the differences in the use of ICT (online games, information search, communication, and internet surfing) in adolescents aged 13-15 years based on gender, and to see the differences in loneliness that may be experienced by teenagers in the COVID-19 pandemic situation due to reduced social interaction with peers. The research sample amounted to 55, consisting of 23 men and 32 women using the Perth A-Loneness Scale (PALs) measuring instrument. Hypothesis testing was done by t-test, it was found that there was no significant difference in the use of ICT based on gender (P-value 0.471). Boys show intensity in the use of online games, while girls are more intensive in the use of communication. Loneliness test results show that there is a significant difference (P-value 0.049). From the results of the study, adolescent girls more often feel alone than boys even though they feel part of a group of friends, girls have a positive attitude towards loneliness, while boys are the opposite.

Understanding Loneliness in Adolescence: A Test of Competing Hypotheses on the Interplay of Extraversion and Neuroticism.

Given that adolescents often experience fundamental changes in social relationships, they are considered to be especially prone to loneliness. Meanwhile, theory and research highlight that both extraversion and neuroticism are closely intertwined with individual differences in loneliness. Extant research has explored the linear main effects of these personality traits, yet potential non-linear associations (e.g., exponential effects) and the potential interplay of extraversion and neuroticism (e.g., mutual reinforcement effects) remain unknown. We addressed these open questions using cross-sectional and one-year longitudinal data from two adolescent samples (overall N = 583, Mage = 17.57, 60.55% girls) and an information-theoretic approach combined with polynomial regression. Analyses showed little evidence for interaction effects but revealed non-linear effects in addition to the main effects of extraversion and neuroticism on loneliness. For example, the positive cross-sectional association between neuroticism and loneliness was stronger at higher neuroticism levels (i.e., exponential effect). Results differed across loneliness facets in that both traits predicted emotional loneliness, but only extraversion predicted social loneliness. Longitudinal analyses showed that loneliness changes were mainly related to neuroticism. We discuss results in the light of sample differences, elaborate on the importance to differentiate between emotional versus social aspects of loneliness, and outline implications for adolescent development.

Lonely, but Not Alone: Qualitative Study among Immigrant and Native-Born Adolescents.

This paper explores loneliness as it is understood and experienced by adolescents, with a special focus on the importance of their migration status. We recruited students from five schools following a maximum variation sampling scheme, and we conducted 15 semi-structured, individual interviews with eighth-grade adolescents (aged 14–15 years) that were immigrants, descendants, and with a Danish majority background. A thematic analysis was applied with a special focus on differences and similarities in understanding and experiencing loneliness between adolescents with diverse migration status. The results showed more similarities than differences in loneliness. Generally, loneliness was described as an adverse feeling, varying in intensity and duration, and participants referenced distressing emotions. Feeling lonely was distinguished from being alone and characterized as an invisible social stigma. A variety of perceived social deficiencies were emphasized as causing loneliness, emerging in the interrelation between characteristics of the individual and their social context. The results add to the current literature by highlighting that it is not the presence of specific individual characteristics that causes loneliness; instead, loneliness is dependent on the social contexts the individual is embedded in. Differences across migration status were few and related to variations in the adolescents’ individual characteristics. The findings highlight the importance of (1) studying the characteristics of both the individual and the social context in research on the antecedents to adolescents’ loneliness, and (2) applying this perspective in other studies on the importance of migration status.

Feeling Lonely Increases Interest in Previously Owned Products

Consumption of used products has the potential to symbolically connect present and previous users of these products, something that may appeal to lonely consumers. Accordingly, across seven studies, feeling lonely increased consumers’ preference for previously owned products. Specifically, the authors found that the proportion of lone shoppers was higher in a used versus a regular bookstore, lone individuals (vs. those sitting in pairs) were more likely to select a used over a new product, people without (vs. with) a date on Valentine’s Day expressed stronger preference for used products, and individual differences in loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic predicted interest in used products. Other studies documented that the desire to symbolically connect underlies the effect of loneliness on consumption. At a time when loneliness is on the rise, the authors discuss implications for the marketing of used products and how loneliness might motivate consumers to reduce waste.

The Critical Role of Coping Strategies in Moderating Loneliness and Quality of Life: Parallel and Unique Processes among Transgender and Heterosexual Cisgender People in Pakistan.

Groups marginalized and/or isolated by minority status—including transgender individuals—are at significant risk for loneliness and diminished quality of life (QoL), effects that can be mitigated to some extent by coping styles. In this study, we examined the relationships among coping styles, loneliness, and QoL outcomes in a marginalized but understudied gender minority group, namely, 200 transgender individuals living in communities in an emerging/developing non-Western geo-cultural region of South-Central Asia (Pakistan), comparing them against a reference group of 100 heterosexual cisgender individuals. Results indicated strong relationships among coping styles, loneliness, and QoL in both transgender and cisgender groups. Moderating variable analysis revealed that coping skills—whether adaptive or maladaptive—help explain differences in loneliness and QoL not only between trans- and cis-gender individuals, but also within just the transgender group. The implications of these findings for intervention strategies to improve QoL among transgender populations are discussed, with reference to both the specific context within Pakistan and the larger context of transgender marginalization within many developing/emerging countries.

Loneliness and Activity Engagement Among Rural Homebound Older Adults With and Without Self-Reported Depression.

Rural homebound older adults are a vulnerable population at risk for depression, loneliness, and limited participation, but studies that examine these factors in this population are scarce. To describe the degree of depression, loneliness, and activity engagement among rural homebound older adults and determine differences in loneliness and activity engagement between those with and those without self-reported depression. Cross-sectional survey. Two rural counties in south central Indiana. Homebound adults ages 60 yr and older who received nutritional or companionship services from a local Area Agency on Aging. Outcomes and Measures: Depression was measured with an item on the self-report questionnaire and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15. Loneliness was measured with an item on the self-report questionnaire and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Activity engagement was measured with the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey and the Meaningful Activity Participation Assessment. Ninety-one participants returned surveys, of which 78 were analyzed. Regarding depression, 40% of participants reported having it, but results for the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 showed that 63% were in the indicative or suggestive range for depression. Participants in general reported moderate loneliness and low to moderate engagement in meaningful activities. Those with self-reported depression had significantly higher loneliness and lower activity engagement, particularly in self-care, leisure, and socializing activities. A high proportion of this sample of rural homebound older adults had depression. Those who did tended to have a higher degree of loneliness and lower engagement in meaningful activities. What This Article Adds: Depression was associated with greater loneliness and lower activity engagement in rural homebound older adults. Occupational therapy practitioners serving rural homebound older adults with depression should consider providing interventions to address loneliness and facilitate activity engagement.

Loneliness, love attitudes and satisfaction with love life among university students in palestine: Gender differences

The association between loneliness, love styles and satisfaction with love life among Palestinian university students was examined in this study. Gender differences in loneliness, love styles and satisfaction with love life was examined as well as the relationship among these variables. The study included 500 students (63.6% females and 36.4% males), aged between 18 and 26 years. Data were collected using the Loneliness Scale (UCLA), Love Attitudes Scale (LAS), Satisfaction with Love Life Scale (SWLLS) and a Demographic Information Form. Analyses showed that there were no gender differences in loneliness. Significant gender differences were found on ludic, males were more in their love styles than were females. Loneliness was negatively associated with Eros, Storge and Pragma love styles, and with satisfaction with love life. Multiple regression analysis indicated that all the variables accounted for 18% of the variance in loneliness scores. Satisfaction with love life appears to be the best predictor of university student’s loneliness.

Comparing the Life Meaning, the Feeling of Loneliness, and the Image of God in Prisoners and Non-Prisoners

Background: This study aimed to compare the life meaning, the feeling of loneliness, and the of in two imprisoned and non - imprisoned groups. Methods: The research design consisted of the type of comparative descriptive - causal studies and the statistical population is all prisoners of Semnan city, and to participate in the study, 60 prisoners and 60 non-prisoners were selected by the available method, as well as two groups, in terms of some demographic variables, were matched. The measurement tools of the study included the Life Meaning Questionnaire (Steger), Feeling of Loneliness (Russell), and Imagination of (Greenaway). Questionnaires were analyzed after collection. Results: The results of the study showed that there is a significant difference between the life meaning in two prisoners and non-prisoners groups and the mean score of the meaning of life in the prison group is significantly lower than the non-prison group. There is also a significant difference in loneliness between two prisoners and non- prisoners groups and the mean of loneliness scores in prisoners is significantly higher than non-prisoners. On the other hand, there is a significant difference regarding image of God between prisoners and non-prisoners individuals, and the mean image of God scores in prisoners are less than those in non–prisoners. Conclusions: According to the result, it can be concluded that tests showed that all three hypotheses of the researcher were confirmed. In the following, the results of these tests will be reviewed. Keywords : Life meaning, loneliness feeling, Image of in imprisoned groups, Image of in non-imprisoned groups.

An ethnocultural perspective on loneliness in young adulthood: A population-based study in Israel.

Young adults are a high-risk group for experiencing loneliness. We examine (1) the prevalence of loneliness among young adults in three ethnocultural groups in Israel: native Jews, former Soviet Union immigrants and Arabs; (2) the associations between loneliness and ethnicity, perceived poverty, physical and mental health, perceived discrimination, social capital and online social capital; (3) the distinct sensitivity of the three ethnocultural groups to the determinants of loneliness. Cross-sectional representative data for individuals aged 20-34 were taken from the 2016 to 2017 Israeli Social Surveys (N=4253). Hierarchical logistic models were estimated to predict loneliness. Differences in the prevalence of loneliness were observed among the groups, with immigrants at higher risk. We found both common and distinct risk factors among the groups and only little evidence for moderation. Ethnic differences in loneliness between the native Jews and the Arabs can be ascribed to differences in their demographic characteristics and the prevalence of other risk factors. The risk for loneliness remained higher for immigrants after controlling for the entire set of risk factors. Eliminating the possibility that immigrants are more sensitive to any risk factor considered suggests the effect of ethnicity per se or rather that other factors affect loneliness in young immigrant adults.

Psychiatric symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak in older adults with bipolar disorder.

Older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD) are vulnerable for a COVID-19 infection via multiple pathways. It is essential for OABD to adhere to the COVID-19 measures, with potential consequences for the psychiatric symptoms. This situation offers the unique opportunity to investigate factors of vulnerability and resilience that are associated with psychiatric symptoms in OABD. This study included 81 OABD patients aged over 50 years. Factors measured at baseline in patients that participated in 2017/2018 were compared with factors measured during the COVID-19 outbreak. Participants experienced less psychiatric symptoms during COVID-19 than (67.9% euthymic) than at baseline (40.7% euthymic). There was no difference in loneliness between COVID-19 and baseline. Not having children, more feelings of loneliness, lower mastery, passive coping style and neuroticism were associated with more psychiatric symptoms during COVID-19 measures. Participants experienced less psychiatric symptoms during COVID-19 measures when compared to baseline. Our results indicate promising targets for psychological interventions aimed at curing and preventing recurrence in OABD and improving quality of life in this growing vulnerable group.

Economic Gradients in Social Health in Britain

Studies have found that loneliness is as bad as smoking or obesity for mortality risk, and the prevalence of loneliness is predicted to increase with ageing populations, more people living alone, and with chronic health conditions. Despite the substantial literature on loneliness, there is little detailed research on the extent of economic gradients. In this paper we provide this evidence using a sample of around 400,000 respondents (aged 40-70) from the UK Biobank. We focus on differences in loneliness across educational attainment, household income and neighbourhood deprivation, as well as recent major life events including financial difficulties. Using two statistical approaches, we find a substantially higher probability of experiencing loneliness, but also social isolation and a lack of social support, for men and women with low socioeconomic status, even when comparing those residing in the same postcode district. Additionally, the recent experience of financial stress is strongly associated with worse social health. Our results are robust to a panel analysis that accounts for intercorrelations between loneliness, social isolation and lack of social support, and controls for sample attrition.

Resilience to Loneliness Amongst Older Adults Living in the Bronx, NY, During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Older adults may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing loneliness as a result of stay-at-home and social distancing orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated change in loneliness following the COVID-19 outbreak, using a longitudinal design and a validated loneliness measure, in a well-characterized sample who are at heightened risk for COVID-19 due to both age and location. The study included n = 226 older adults aged 70-90 years old, living in the Bronx, New York City, who had completed the 3-item Loneliness Scale prior to and during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City. There was no evidence of significant increases in mean loneliness from pre- to post-COVID-19 outbreak. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify risk and protective factors for change in loneliness during the COVID-19 outbreak, adjusting for pre-outbreak loneliness. Living alone, higher levels of education, greater worry about contracting the coronavirus, and limiting of daily exercise activities were risk factors for greater loneliness after the outbreak. In contrast, Black race, older age, greater social support and frequent social interactions via video call, all related to lower levels of loneliness after the outbreak.The outcomes of this study demonstrate substantial resilience among older adults to loneliness in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlight key risk and protective factors that may play an important role in individual differences in loneliness as pandemic-driven isolation continues.

Loneliness and Trust: An East-West Comparison in Europe

Loneliness in later life is two times more prevalent in Eastern and Southern European countries than in Northern and Western European countries. One explanation that is put forth is the difference in expectations about social relations. We examine a not often evaluated role of trust in society as factor contributing to the country differences in loneliness. We adopt the trust-as-antecedent model of social integration, and assume that social integration is associated with loneliness. We use data of respondents aged 65 and over participating in the European Social Survey and conduct a latent factors path analysis to examine the effect of trust in the system and trust in people on social capital and loneliness. Loneliness is two times more prevalent in Eastern Europe than the rest of Europe (26% vs 10%), levels of trust are substantially lower in Eastern European countries, which in turn is associated with higher levels of loneliness.

Ethnic Differences in Loneliness, Depression, and Malnutrition Among Older Adults During COVID-19 Quarantine.

BackgroundDepression in older adults may result from a variety of reasons such as loneliness feelings and malnutrition.ObjectiveTo examine the direct and indirect effect of loneliness feelings on depressive symptoms, mediated by malnutrition, among older adults from different cultures during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic quarantine.MethodA convenience sample of 101 Arabs and 100 Jewish older adults aged 65 and over was interviewed. Using bootstrapping, we tested the strength and significance of the conditional indirect effect of malnutrition (mediator) on the relationship between loneliness feelings and depressive symptoms.ResultsThe relationship between loneliness feelings and depressive symptoms was mediated by malnutrition and Arab older adults reported a higher level than Jewish older adults of loneliness, depression, and malnutrition during the Covid-19 pandemic quarantine.Conclusions and implicationsTo reduce loneliness feelings, depressive symptoms, and malnutrition in times of crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic, it is essential to develop new communication methods for and with older adults in general, with particular attention paid to ethnic differences, that will be effective in reducing loneliness and in promoting nutrition intervention. Possible solutions include new social network technologies for reducing loneliness, with continued reliance on phone communication for combined intervention that includes psychological support accompanied by instructions for a healthy lifestyle and malnutrition prevention.

Gender and Age Differences in Loneliness: Evidence for People without and with Disabilities.

This study examines the relationships between loneliness, gender, and age for people without and with disabilities (moderate versus severe) in Germany. Using data taken from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 2013 and 2017 and using the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale, in general we found that males report lower loneliness scores as compared to those for females. Furthermore, we found a strong association between loneliness and the individual’s age, but with differences according to gender and disability status. For example, for males with severe disabilities levels of loneliness decrease with age, whereas for females with severe disabilities the opposite result is found. In addition, we found that participation in leisure activities and having a higher frequency of contacts with family, friends, and social online networks (measured by the relational time index) contribute to reducing loneliness for all individuals. From a public policy perspective, it is necessary to undertake the design, promotion, and implementation of instrumental, emotional, and social support measures for people with disabilities (in particular for females that are severely limited in their daily activities), which can contribute to reducing their loneliness scores and increasing their levels of life satisfaction.

The Relationship between Loneliness, Self-Efficacy, and Satisfaction with Life in Left-Behind Middle School Students in China: Taking Binhai County of Jiangsu Province as an Example

Objective: To explore the relationship between loneliness, self-efficacy, and satisfaction with life of Left-behind middle school students in China. Methods: A cluster random sampling method was used to study students from Left-behind middle schools in Binhai County of Jiangsu Province. The loneliness scale, general self-efficacy scale, and satisfaction with life scale were used to conduct questionnaire surveys. Results: Compared with non-left behind middle school students, Left-behind middle school students had higher loneliness, lower self-efficacy, and satisfaction with life. There were significant gender differences in loneliness and satisfaction with life of the two types of students. Whether to live in school or not had an insignificant impact on the loneliness and satisfaction with life of Left-behind middle school students. Loneliness had a significant negative predictive effect on the satisfaction with Left-behind middle school students’ life and self-efficacy. In predicting satisfaction with life by loneliness, self-efficacy generally played a part of the mediating role, which could partially buffer the adverse effects of loneliness on student satisfaction with life. Conclusion: The mental health of left-behind middle school students should arouse the common concern of family, school and society. Try to do some intervention counseling in reducing the experience of loneliness and enhancing the sense of self-efficacy to improve their satisfaction with life and maintain a positive mental state.