Self-reported Loneliness Research Articles

The prevalence of patient-reported cognitive complaints and dementia risk factors in the audiology clinic

Background Hearing-dementia research mainly focuses on determining the causal direction of this association. Little is known about the prevalence of cognitive problems in a representative audiology patient population. Aim To examine the occurrence of self-reported cognitive complaints (SCC) and dementia risk factors (RF) in an audiology patient population. Materials and methods Patients visiting audiology clinics (n = 1100, 51% female and avg. age 61yrs) were administered an online intake tool based on the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health. Domains extracted for analyses were memory and concentration (SCC) and loneliness, depression, sleep and vision (dementia RF) and self-reported hearing problems (SHP). Prevalence rates and associations with demographic variables and SHP were examined. Results SCC were highly prevalent, with over half of the patients reporting memory or concentration problems. Regarding dementia RF, 68% reported sleeping problems and > 50% reported sadness, anxiety or depressed mood. SHP correlated significantly with self-reported memory problems, loneliness, and vision problems. Conclusion This descriptive cohort-study suggests a high risk of cognitive issues within the audiology clinic population, indicated by the high prevalence of SCC and some dementia RF. Our findings underscore the importance of considering closer cooperation between care pathways like audiology and neurology and use of a holistic patient-centered approach.

Exploring the link between empathy, stress, altruism, and loneliness in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

Empathy has been associated with a range of positive outcomes, including social connection, pro-social behavior, and mental health. Nonetheless, acknowledging the multidimensional aspects of empathy, budding research indicates that sometimes empathy may precipitate negative health outcomes. In the present paper, we explore the extent to which the multidimensional aspects of empathy-as measured by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index-may relate to the experience of increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examine potential behavioral moderators (altruism) and social mediators (loneliness) of any such effect. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study of 2595 Danish university students and implemented linear regression analyses to determine the relationships between our key variables. In both crude and adjusted regression models, our findings indicate positive associations between the IRI subscales Fantasy, Empathic Concern, and Personal Distress on self-reported stress and loneliness. Perspective Taking was marginally and inversely associated with stress but not loneliness. Altruism did not moderate these associations, but loneliness did mediate the effects of Fantasy, Empathic Concern, and Personal Distress on stress. Our results emphasize the importance of conceptualizing empathy in multi-dimensional terms. Further, our study highlights the potential negative health consequences of empathy in certain settings. These results may help focus future research in this area and feed into mental health interventions.

Loneliness in Seriously Ill Nursing Home Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Loneliness and social isolation coexist, making it difficult to study each separately. The COVID-19 lockdown provided an unprecedented and ethically viable opportunity to study loneliness in seriously ill nursing home residents under uniformly imposed social isolation conditions. Objective: To understand the phenomenon of loneliness of the seriously ill nursing home patients under a uniform social isolation condition imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Design: Cross-sectional, semi-structured interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed qualitatively using an inductive thematic analysis. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Three-Item Loneliness Scale was used to measure loneliness and any relationships between self-reported loneliness and isolation were elucidated. Setting/Participants: Thirty seriously ill nursing home residents living in complete social isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Results: Thematic analysis identified four key themes: (1) Diverse perceptions about the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown, (2) regret over the missed opportunities for spending time with friends and family, (3) using electronic communication to maintain connections with loved ones, and (4) the impact of nursing home staff. In total, 50% of the participants reported feeling socially isolated, 60% patients reported loneliness, and 70% reported being adversely impacted by the lockdown. Patients who felt socially isolated also reported experiencing loneliness (Kendall's Tau = 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30, 0.89, p < 0.01, large effect size). Persons from communities of color had higher median loneliness scores compared to Non-Hispanic Whites. Participants in the last year of life also reported higher levels of loneliness. Conclusion: A study of loneliness under uniform social isolation conditions in seriously ill nursing home patients showed a high prevalence of loneliness and a strong correlation between self-reported loneliness and social isolation, especially in persons from minority communities and those in the last year of life. In-person support provided by nursing home staff and virtual support from family was helpful to patients.

The association between primary ovarian insufficiency and increased multimorbidity in a large prospective cohort (Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging)

ObjectiveTo describe the prevalence of multimorbidity among individuals with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and early menopause, in comparison to average age of menopause. DesignProspective cohort SubjectsThis prospective cohort encompassed female postmenopausal individuals from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). The CLSA collected cross-sectional data from 50,000 community-dwelling Canadians aged 45 to 85 between 2010 and 2015. ExposureThe primary exposure was primary ovarian insufficiency (defined by onset of menopause younger than 40 years). Comparators included average age of menopause (age 46 to 55 years), early menopause (40-45 years), late onset menopause (56-65 years), and those who underwent a hysterectomy. Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was multimorbidity, which was defined as two or more chronic conditions. The secondary outcome was severe multimorbidity (defined as three or more chronic conditions) as well as frequencies of specific chronic conditions among a comprehensive list of 15 individual conditions. We assessed the association between multimorbidity and age at menopause using logistic regression and odds ratios, with confidence intervals set at 95%. Odds ratios were adjusted for known predictors of multimorbidity, including age, menopause hormone therapy (MHT), education, ethnicity, self-reported loneliness, living alone, BMI, smoking habits, nutritional risk, social participation, and physical activity. ResultsA total of 12,339 postmenopausal participants were included, of which 374 (3.0%) experienced POI and 1396 (11.3%) experienced early menopause. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 64.8% and 51.1% among those with POI and early menopause respectively. In contrast, only 43.9% of individuals with average age of menopause (age 46 to 55 years) had multimorbidity. The OR for multimorbidity in the POI population was 2.5 (95% CI 2.0-3.1) in comparison to those who underwent the average age of menopause. This relationship was maintained after adjustment for confounders (aOR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.5-2.5). The prevalence of severe multimorbidity was also double in the POI group in comparison in the average age group (39.2% versus 21.1%). There was significantly increased risk of ischemic heart disease (aOR 2.8, 95% CI: 1.7-4.7), gastric ulcers (aOR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3) and osteoporosis (aOR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.1) in the POI group. ConclusionsIndividuals with POI and early menopause experience increased multimorbidity in comparison to those undergoing menopause at an average age. This trend persists even after adjusting for significant multimorbidity risk factors.

Estimating risk of loneliness in adulthood using survey-based prediction models: A cohort study

It is widely accepted that loneliness is associated with health problems, but less is known about the predictors of loneliness. In this study, we constructed a model to predict individual risk of loneliness during adulthood. Data were from the prospective population-based FinHealth cohort study with 3444 participants (mean age 55.5 years, 53.4% women) who responded to a 81-item self-administered questionnaire and reported not to be lonely at baseline in 2017. The outcome was self-reported loneliness at follow-up in 2020. Predictive models were constructed using bootstrap enhanced LASSO regression (bolasso). The C-index from the final model including 11 predictors from the best bolasso -models varied between 0.65 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.70) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.75) the pooled C -index being 0.68 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.75). Although survey-based individualised prediction models for loneliness achieved a reasonable C-index, their predictive value was limited. High detection rates were associated with high false positive rates, while lower false positive rates were associated with low detection rates. These findings suggest that incident loneliness during adulthood.may be difficult to predict with standard survey data.

Efficacy of Community-Delivered PEERS® for Adolescents: Increases in Social Skills and Decreases in Social Anxiety and Loneliness.

PEERS® for Adolescents is an evidence-based social skills training program developed for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is now widely implemented by community providers in clinics and schools. However, majority of past efficacy studies on PEERS® were conducted in controlled research settings, with limited information about its effectiveness when delivered in the community. We sought to examine the effects of PEERS® on social functioning and mental health outcomes when delivered in an outpatient autism specialty clinic. Clinical data from 45 adolescents with social challenges (age range: 11-18 years old; 31.1% female assigned at birth) were extracted for secondary analyses. Paired t-tests were performed to examine the pre- to post-intervention changes in social and mental health outcomes. Correlations between pre- and post-change scores of outcome measures were examined. Self-reported social skills knowledge, caregiver-reported social skills (measured by the Social Skills Improvement Systems) and the number of get-togethers hosted, increased significantly from pre- to post-intervention. Additionally, caregiver-reported anxiety and self-reported loneliness significantly decreased from pre- to post-intervention. Exploratory analyses showed that increases in caregiver-reported social skills were associated with decreases in self-reported loneliness. Our findings provide evidence supporting the efficacy of PEERS® for improving social knowledge and skills of adolescents with social challenges when delivered in the community. The current study also showed the potential benefit of PEERS® for improving adolescent mental health.

Loneliness, social isolation, and cardiovascular disease among nonveteran and veteran women

We examined the prospective associations of social isolation and loneliness with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) among aging nonveteran and veteran women, and effect modification by veteran status. Participants with no history of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), or coronary heart failure from the Women’s Health Initiative Extension Study II self-reported social isolation, loneliness, health behaviors, health status, and veteran status. CVD and CVD subevents were physician adjudicated. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the Interquartile Range (IQR) in social isolation (IQR = 1) and loneliness (IQR=.33) were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for sociodemographic, health behavior, and health status characteristics. Veteran status was tested as an effect modifier. Among 52,442 women (Mean age = 79 ± 6.1; veterans n = 1023; 89.2% non-Hispanic White), 3579 major CVD events occurred over an average 5.8 follow-up years. Compared to nonveterans, veteran women reported higher levels of social isolation (p < .01) and loneliness (p < .01). The CVD HR was 1.07 (95% CI, 1.04–1.10) for the IQR in social isolation and 1.03 (95% CI, 1.10–1.06) for the IQR in loneliness. The HR for the IQR in both social isolation and loneliness was 1.10 (95% CI, 1.05–1.15). Social isolation was associated with CHD (HR = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.03–1.21). The CHD HR for the IQR in social isolation was 1.12 (95% CI, 1.03–1.21). Associations did not differ by veteran status (all p-interactions > 0.08). Findings suggest that the adverse associations of social isolation and loneliness with CVD are similar among veteran and nonveteran women.

Glucocorticoid response to naturalistic interactions between children and dogs

Although research has shown that pets appear to provide certain types of social support to children, little is known about the physiological bases of these effects, especially in naturalistic contexts. In this study, we investigated the effect of free-form interactions between children (ages 8–10 years) and dogs on salivary cortisol concentrations in both species. We further investigated the role of the child-dog relationship by comparing interactions with the child's pet dog to interactions with an unfamiliar dog or a nonsocial control condition, and modeled associations between survey measures of the human-animal bond and children's physiological responses. In both children and dogs, salivary cortisol decreased from pre- to post-interaction; the effect was strongest for children interacting with an unfamiliar dog (compared to their pet dog) and for the pet dogs (compared to the unfamiliar dog). We found minimal evidence for associations between cortisol output and behaviors coded from video, but children scoring higher on survey measures of the human-animal bond exhibited the greatest reductions in cortisol when interacting with dogs. Self-reported loneliness was not related to cortisol or the human-animal bond, but measures of both loneliness and the human-animal bond were higher among children who participated after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, relative to those who participated before the pandemic. This study builds on previous work that investigated potential stress-buffering effects of human-animal interaction during explicit stressors and demonstrates important physiological correlates of naturalistic interactions between children and dogs, similar to those that occur in daily life.

The longitudinal relationship between loneliness and both social anxiety and mobile phone addiction among rural left-behind children: A cross-lagged panel analysis.

Left-behind children are a special group that needs urgent attention. Due to enduring separation from their parents, loneliness is considered the most common and prevalent developmental hurdle in the experiences of left-behind children. This longitudinal cross-lagged study examined the direction of the association between loneliness and both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, with considering gender and left-behind status differences. A total of 1175 rural Chinese children (48.3% boys, 39.9% left-behind children, Mage = 14.54 ± 1.18 at baseline) completed self-reported loneliness, social anxiety, and mobile phone addiction at two-time points with 6 months intervals. Descriptive statistics, cross-lagged panel analysis, and multiple group analysis were estimated in the present study. Loneliness exacerbated social anxiety and mobile phone addiction, and vice versa. In addition, gender and left-behind status moderated these relationships, with boys more likely to be mobile phone addicted due to loneliness and girls more likely to be lonely due to mobile phone addiction. More importantly, left-behind children with loneliness are more prone to social anxiety and mobile phone addiction, and vice versa, compared with non-left-behind children. The targeted interventions should be carried out for different genders and left-behind statuses. Particularly for left-behind children, neglecting to address both the symptoms of loneliness and both social anxiety and mobile phone addiction could significantly undermine the efficacy of intervention programs that solely target either one of these afflictions.

Emotional well-being in Charles Bonnet syndrome: exploring associations with negative affect, loneliness and quality of life.

Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is a condition characterised by the occurrence of vivid and complex visual hallucinations in individuals with visual impairment. To explore the relationship between emotional distress and the perceived impact of CBS symptoms on participants' lives. We tested the hypothesis that heightened negative affect was associated with a more negative appraisal of CBS symptoms, increased self-reported loneliness, and poorer quality of life (QOL). Cross-sectional. Participants recruited predominantly via vision-related charities rated their hallucinations and their impact on a Likert scale. Loneliness and negative affect were assessed with the Three-Item Loneliness Scale and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Health index (EQ-5D-3L) and vision-related QOL (VF-9) were also assessed. Correlation analysis and multi-variable regression determined the relation between survey responses. The majority of 126 respondents (81%) were aged 65+ years and 84% reported active CBS symptoms. Fifty-five percent of respondents rated impact of CBS as negative and no-one rated the impact as 'very pleasant'. A statistically significant correlation was found between impact of CBS and negative affect (p ⩽ 0.001; rho = -0.34) and impact of CBS and loneliness (p = 0.017; rho = -0.21). The relation between negative affect and CBS impact remained statistically significant when accounting for the impact of loneliness and the relationship between loneliness and CBS effect (p = 0.002, adj R 2 = 0.1). A statistically significant correlation between loneliness and negative affect (p ⩽ 0.001; rho = 0.55) was also found. Respondents experiencing negative emotions were more likely to perceive the impact of CBS symptoms as negative and report greater feelings of loneliness. Negative affect is an important consideration when assessing people with CBS.

School children's mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the daily routines of children, with social distancing and quarantine leading to reduced social interactions and potential increased conflicts within families. These factors can increase the risk for anxiety and depression while reducing overall quality of life. Our study included 1843 school children aged 8 to 12 from 56 schools over a 2.5-year period before and during the pandemic. This multi-wave cross-sectional study utilized baseline data from an optimization trial of an indicated preventive intervention. The main outcomes were self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression, and quality of life was the secondary outcome measure. Furthermore, responses to COVID-relevant questions were measured using a self-composed scale. Our objectives were to compare anxiety and depression symptom levels between cohorts of children who participated in the study before and during the pandemic, to examine if anxiety or depression predicted the COVID response, and whether anxiety and depression and subtypes of anxiety had an impact on quality of life during the pandemic. Linear regression and interaction models were used to examine relevant associations. Levels of anxiety and depression were higher in all waves compared to pre-pandemic levels. Quality of life was lower during the pandemic than before the pandemic, particularly among children with generalized anxiety symptoms. Quality of life was negatively associated with loneliness. Our study revealed that children reported higher anxious and depressive symptoms during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels, as well as reduced quality of life. Lockdowns and restrictions may have contributed to this burden. Additionally, self-reported loneliness was a significant possible consequence of the restrictive measures imposed on children during the pandemic. Additional research is needed to investigate the long-term effects of the pandemic on children, particularly regarding the stability of elevated levels of anxiety and depression. Such studies could examine whether these conditions are indicative of a trajectory toward more severe internalizing disorders.Clinical trial registration: NCT04263558.

Efficacy of a single session mindfulness based intervention: A randomized clinical trial.

Loneliness, perceived stress, depression, and anxiety have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of existing mindfulness and compassion-based intervention are effective, but are time-intensive, decreasing overall accessibility and scalability. Single-session interventions (SSIs) serve as a promising alternative. The current pre-registered randomized clinical trial evaluated a newly developed, manualized, mindfulness-based single-session intervention. 91 adults were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) one-hour mindfulness only telehealth intervention; (b) one-hour mindfulness and compassion telehealth intervention; or (c) one-week waitlist control (before randomization to an active intervention). Intervention sessions were conducted by graduate students in clinical psychology. The primary outcome was self-reported loneliness; secondary outcomes were self-reported perceived stress, depression, and anxiety. Using Bayesian multilevel models, we found that compared to the waitlist-control, the inclusion of a compassion component led to meaningful reductions in perceived stress b = -3.75, 95% HDI [-6.95, -0.59], anxiety b = -3.79, 95% HDI [-6.99, -0.53], and depression b = -3.01, 95% HDI [-5.22, -0.78], but not loneliness at the 1-week follow-up. Results suggest that a single-session mindfulness and compassion intervention may lead to meaningful reductions in perceived stress, symptoms of anxiety, and symptoms of depression, but not loneliness. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Does urban greenness reduce loneliness and social isolation among Canadians? A cross-sectional study of middle-aged and older adults of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

Urban greenness has been shown to confer many health benefits including reduced risks of chronic disease, depression, anxiety, and, in a limited number of studies, loneliness. In this first Canadian study on this topic, we investigated associations between residential surrounding greenness and loneliness and social isolation among older adults. This cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging included 26,811 urban participants between 45 and 86 years of age. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a measure of greenness, was assigned to participants' residential addresses using a buffer distance of 500 m. We evaluated associations between the NDVI and (i) self-reported loneliness using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, (ii) whether participants reported "feeling lonely living in the local area", and (iii) social isolation. Logistic regression models were used to characterize associations between greenness and loneliness/social isolation while adjusting for individual socio-economic and health behaviours. Overall, 10.8% of participants perceived being lonely, while 6.5% reported "feeling lonely in their local area". Furthermore, 16.2% of participants were characterized as being socially isolated. In adjusted models, we observed no statistically significant difference (odds ratio (OR) = 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-1.04) in self-reported loneliness in relation to an interquartile range (IQR) increase of NDVI (0.06). However, for the same change in greenness, there was a 15% (OR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.72-0.99) reduced risk for participants who strongly agreed with "feeling lonely living in the local area". For social isolation, for an IQR increase in the NDVI, we observed a 7% (OR = 0.93; 95% CI 0.88-0.97) reduction in prevalence. Our findings suggest that urban greenness plays a role in reducing loneliness and social isolation among Canadian urbanites.

CUMULATIVE LONELINESS AND ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1996–2019

Abstract Recent studies have linked increased mortality to loneliness measured at a single point in time or over a short period of time, omitting the cumulative and dynamic nature of loneliness and its health effects. This study aimed to investigate long-term exposure to loneliness over an eight-year period in relation to subsequent all-cause mortality over 15 years. Data were from 9,032 individuals aged 50+ in the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from 1996-2019. Self-reported loneliness (yes; no) was measured biennially from 1996-2004. Cumulative loneliness was defined according to loneliness duration as never, intermittent (1-2 time points), and sustained (3+ time points). Mortality from 2004-2019 was identified from the HRS exit interviews and other sources (e.g., spouse). In the crude analysis, intermittent and sustained experience of loneliness was respectively associated with 137 (95%CI, 104-170) and 288 (95%CI, 233-343) excess deaths per 10,000 person-years, compared to those never feeling lonely. In the fully adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, a longer duration of loneliness was associated with additional 9% (HR=1.09, 95%CI, 1.02-1.17, intermittent vs. never) and 14% (HR=1.14, 95%CI, 1.03-1.27, sustained vs. never) mortality risk, indicating a dose-response relationship (P trend=0.009). Sustained loneliness may be a risk factor for mortality in mid-to-later life, and could be a potential intervention target to increase life expectancy.

Homebound elderly people psychotherapeutic intervention (HEPPI): Exploring the mediating role of loneliness

ObjectivesThe present study aimed to explore whether the Homebound Elderly People Psychotherapeutic Intervention (HEPPI), a home-delivered ten-week cognitive-emotional intervention, was effective in reducing self-reported loneliness among homebound older adults presenting mild cognitive impairment and psychological symptomatology. Effects of HEPPI in total, social, and emotional loneliness, compared with a treatment-as-usual group, were investigated at post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. In addition, the potential role of social and emotional loneliness as mediators of the HEPPI impact on episodic memory and symptoms of depression and anxiety was examined. MethodsThis study built upon the data of a previously conducted randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to the HEPPI group (n = 98) or the treatment-as-usual group (n = 101) and completed baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up assessments, including measures of loneliness (UCLA - Loneliness scale), episodic memory (Wechsler Memory Scale-III), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale-30), and anxiety symptoms (Geriatric Anxiety Inventory). Data were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis employing linear mixed models and mediation analyses for repeated measures. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05499767. ResultsCompared with usual care controls, the HEPPI participants reported a significant immediate decrease in total and social loneliness, but these effects were not maintained at a 3-month follow-up. The reduction in immediate perceived social loneliness significantly mediated the improvement of depressive symptoms. ConclusionsThe current findings suggest that HEPPI potentially reduced total and social loneliness of the homebound older population immediately post-intervention, and such decrease in social loneliness may be a relevant mechanism for improving their short-term depressive symptomatology.

Understanding the protective effect of social support on depression symptomatology from a longitudinal network perspective

BackgroundHigher social support protects people from developing mental disorders. Limited evidence is available on the mechanism through which social support plays this protective role.ObjectiveTo investigate the stress-buffering process of social...

Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: An integrative perspective.

Informed by socio-ecological psychology and the conservation of resources model, the present study proposes an integrative perspective on the association between psychological distress and a constellation of factors, during the COVID-19 outbreak in Israel. Our sample, comprised of 991 adult participants, was measured for psychological distress, locus of control (internal/ external), resilience, loneliness, social support, dimensions of citizens' trust in government organizations (perceived competence, benevolence, and integrity), and demographic characteristics. The findings showed that women, non-religious people, and the unemployed reported higher levels of psychological distress. Internal locus of control, resilience, social support, and the extent to which citizens perceive government organizations as benevolent were negatively associated with psychological distress. Self-reported loneliness and external locus of control positively predicted the level of respondent psychological distress. No association was detected between age, competence and integrity and psychological distress. An overview of the research findings indicates that individuals with greater resources were less likely to suffer from psychological distress during the COVID-19 outbreak. These findings call upon mental health care practitioners to help as well as to enable clients to attain resources in order to lower their levels of psychological distress. Policies developed by policymakers during periods of acute crisis should consider the specific needs and vulnerabilities of certain population groups, including women and the unemployed who may be more susceptible to psychological distress. It is also important for policymakers to be aware that the perception of democratic governments as benevolent can serve as a buffer against psychological distress during times of crisis.

The use of lullaby to support social and emotional wellness among parents during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted loneliness as a major risk factor for mental health difficulties among parents. Shared musical experiences may be an effective way to create social bonds. We adapted Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project to a remote format. Parents experiencing loneliness were enrolled in the study ( N = 40) and completed assessments at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. Participation was associated with significant improvement in self-reported loneliness, self-reported sense of belonging, implicit sense of belonging, self-reported depression, and self-reported anxiety. However, the difference between implicit belonging and rejection did not significantly change over time, and there was no evidence for change in self-reported parent–child connection. In contrast to the quantitative findings, the qualitative responses suggested that participants experienced an enhancement in parent–child connection following intervention completion. The findings highlight the potential for remote administration of music programs to address isolation and loneliness.

Is food insecurity contributing to malnutrition in older adults in Switzerland? - A cross-sectional study.

Food insecurity has been defined as "limited access to food, at the level of individuals or households, due to lack of money or other resources" and may increase the nutritional risk, which in turn leads to poor health, development of chronic diseases, poor psychological and cognitive functioning, and substandard academic achievements. There is limited data on the importance of food insecurity in a rich country such as Switzerland. This is a cross-sectional analysis of data from a structured survey in an elderly population of Switzerland. The data was assessed between June and August 2021 in the course of a 7-year phone call follow-up from the EFFORT trial, which included medical inpatients at nutritional risk from 2014 to 2018. A validated questionnaire (Six-Item Short Form 2012 of the U.S: Household Food Security Survey Module) was used to assess food security status. Of the 433 included patients, 30 (6.9%) were food insecure. A significant association between food insecurity and age, governmental financial support and self-reported loneliness was found. When compared with the food secure group, there was a significant lower quality of life measured by the EQ-5D VAS. In an older Swiss population of patients at nutritional risk, food insecurity was named as a contributing factor for malnutrition in about 7% of patients, particularly younger individuals with financial support, and self-reported loneliness. In the assessment of malnutrition, physician and dieticians should ask for food insecurity and if detect take appropriate actions.

The development and preliminary evaluation of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Chronic Loneliness in Young People.

Approximately 10% of young people 'often' feel lonely, with loneliness being predictive of multiple physical and mental health problems. Research has found CBT to be effective for reducing loneliness in adults, but interventions for young people who report loneliness as their primary difficulty are lacking. CBT for Chronic Loneliness in Young People was developed as a modular intervention. This was evaluated in a single-case experimental design (SCED) with seven participants aged 11-18 years. The primary outcome was self-reported loneliness on the Three-Item Loneliness Scale. Secondary outcomes were self-reported loneliness on the UCLA-LS-3, and self- and parent-reported RCADS and SDQ impact scores. Feasibility and participant satisfaction were also assessed. At post-intervention, there was a 66.41% reduction in loneliness, with all seven participants reporting a significant reduction on the primary outcome measure (p < .001). There was also a reduction on the UCLA-LS-3 of a large effect (d = 1.53). Reductions of a large effect size were also found for parent-reported total RCADS (d = 2.19) and SDQ impact scores (d = 2.15) and self-reported total RCADS scores (d = 1.81), with a small reduction in self-reported SDQ impact scores (d = 0.41). Participants reported high levels of satisfaction, with the protocol being feasible and acceptable. We conclude that CBT for Chronic Loneliness in Young People may be an effective intervention for reducing loneliness and co-occurring mental health difficulties in young people. The intervention should now be evaluated further through a randomised controlled trial (RCT).