Significant Predictors Of Loneliness Research Articles

Facebook use and its association with subjective happiness and loneliness

Social Networking Sites (SNS) allow users to create a profile and connect with others. Due to the multidimensional nature of Facebook, the most popular SNS, research has considered how usage might be associated with well-being. Three hundred and thirty-two participants (70.8% Female; M age = 21.5, SD = 2.4) completed: The Multidimensional Facebook Intensity Scale, the Subjective Happiness Scale, and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. In regression analyses, 4.2% of the variance in loneliness was accounted for by Facebook variables, with number of Facebook friends emerging as a significant predictor; participants reporting a higher number of friends were less lonely. When subscales of the Facebook Intensity Scale were considered, persistence also emerged as a significant predictor of loneliness. More persistent usage, defined as the emotional connectedness an individual has towards Facebook, was associated with higher levels of loneliness. Number of Facebook friends was also a significant predictor of subjective happiness. These results suggest that there may be positive and negative outcomes from using Facebook depending on the nature of engagement.

Loneliness among older European adults: results from the survey of health, aging and retirement in Europe

Previous research has suggested that individuals are mostly prone to loneliness in their later years of life because of exposure to several risk factors typical of old age. The current study aims to examine possible demographic, health and social determinants of loneliness among older adults in Europe. Data on a nationally representative sample of 5074 Europeans aged ≥ 65 years were drawn from the first wave of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, 2004/2005). Frequency of feelings of loneliness was examined according to adverse health conditions, stressful life events and social isolation indicators. Female gender, older age, lower socioeconomic status, living unpartnered, being childless and having no activity involvement were significantly associated with frequent feelings of loneliness (p < 0.001). The proportion of the respondents who declared enduring loneliness most of the time compared with none of the time was significantly higher among Southern Europeans relative to their Northern counterparts (p < 0.001). Recent departure of offspring from the parental nest was a significant predictor of loneliness in both the second (ORs = 2.08; 95% CI 1.24–3.48) and the third (ORs = 1.75; 95% CI 1.03–2.96) multiple regression models. In this sample of older Europeans, several demographic characteristics, specific adverse health conditions, stressful life events and social isolation indicators were associated with feelings of loneliness. Policy initiatives for the alleviation of loneliness in older age should therefore aim at improving psychosocial and health-related difficulties faced by this population.

Predicting loneliness with polygenic scores of social, psychological and psychiatric traits

Loneliness is a heritable trait that accompanies multiple disorders. The association between loneliness and mental health indices may partly be due to inherited biological factors. We constructed polygenic scores for 27 traits related to behavior, cognition and mental health and tested their prediction for self-reported loneliness in a population-based sample of 8798 Dutch individuals. Polygenic scores for major depressive disorder (MDD), schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were significantly associated with loneliness. Of the Big Five personality dimensions, polygenic scores for neuroticism and conscientiousness also significantly predicted loneliness, as did the polygenic scores for subjective well-being, tiredness and self-rated health. When including all polygenic scores simultaneously into one model, only 2 major depression polygenic scores remained as significant predictors of loneliness. When controlling only for these 2 MDD polygenic scores, only neuroticism and schizophrenia remain significant. The total variation explained by all polygenic scores collectively was 1.7%. The association between the propensity to feel lonely and the susceptibility to psychiatric disorders thus pointed to a shared genetic etiology. The predictive power of polygenic scores will increase as the power of the genome-wide association studies on which they are based increases and may lead to clinically useful polygenic scores that can inform on the genetic predisposition to loneliness and mental health.

Factors associated with loneliness among the institutionalised elders in Shanghai, China: the role of social support

Studies have shown that loneliness is increasingly prevalent among the aged, especially those who live in institutions. This study examines the role of social support and differences in loneliness among institutionalised elders, using a face-to-face questionnaire interview in a Shanghai institution. Results show that the prevalence of loneliness among participants was relatively high. Gender, subjective appraisals of relationship with nurses, frequency of being visited by children, frequency of being visited by friends, and subjective appraisals of relationship with roommates were significant predictors of loneliness. The quality of social support was indicated as a significant factor for predicting loneliness rather than its quantity. It is striking that frequency of being visited by children was found to be positively associated with loneliness. This counterintuitive finding suggests that the function of family for those institutionalized elders may be negative under China’s cultural norms, beliefs, and perceptions, which is incongruent with theoretical assumptions in Western countries.

Socio-Demographic Predictors of Loneliness Across the Adult Life Span in Portugal

Loneliness, a complex phenomenon, is experienced differently by people under diverse conditions. The factors influencing loneliness are numerous and may vary between cultures. The purpose of this study was to show socio-demographic factors contributing to loneliness in Portugal. The sample consisted of 3,144 participants with a mean age of 46.90 (SD = 22.56) and a range between 15 and 92 years. Loneliness was evaluated with the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell, Peplau, &amp; Cutrona, 1980). Age and marital status were significant predictors of loneliness. Loneliness increased with age, and divorced or windowed participants reported higher loneliness than single or married people. As expected, gender did not significantly contribute to loneliness. This work identified vulnerable people who are experiencing a perceived dissatisfaction with their social interactions that needs special attention. These vulnerable groups include the old, divorced and widowed. In particular, policy makers and other experts who work with old persons should promote interventions according to their needs.

Predictors of loneliness among older women and men in Sweden: A national longitudinal study

Objectives: Longitudinal research on loneliness in old age has rarely considered loneliness separately for men and women, despite gender differences in life experiences. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which older women and men (70+) report feelings of loneliness with a focus on: (a) changes in reported loneliness as people age, and (b) which factors predict loneliness.Method: Data from the 2004 and 2011 waves of SWEOLD, a longitudinal national survey, was used (n = 587). The prediction of loneliness in 2011 by variables measured in 2004 and 2004–2011 variable change scores was examined in three logistic regression models: total sample, women and men. Variables in the models included: gender, age, education, mobility problems, depression, widowhood and social contacts.Results: Older people moved into and out of frequent loneliness over time, although there was a general increase in loneliness with age. Loneliness at baseline, depression increment and recent widowhood were significant predictors of loneliness in all three multivariable models. Widowhood, depression, mobility problems and mobility reduction predicted loneliness uniquely in the model for women; while low level of social contacts and social contact reduction predicted loneliness uniquely in the model for men.Conclusion: This study challenges the notion that feelings of loneliness in old age are stable. It also identifies important gender differences in prevalence and predictors of loneliness. Knowledge about such differences is crucial for the development of effective policy and interventions to combat loneliness in later life.

Loneliness, Warmth-Seeking Behavior, and Posttraumatic Stress Among Survivors of the Sichuan Earthquake

We examined: a) different correlation patterns between loneliness and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom structures, and b) the relationship between loneliness and physical coldness/warmth-seeking behavior among people with PTSD. Participants were divided into a PTSD group and a control group and after completing a loneliness-priming task, the PTSD group also took part in a temperature evaluation experiment. Control subjects completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale but not the temperature evaluation experiment. We found that reported levels of loneliness were significantly higher in the PTSD participant group than in the controls, and dysphoric arousal and numbing factors were significant predictors of loneliness. These data indicate that loneliness is closely associated with depression-related PTSD symptom constructs in people diagnosed with PTSD. The PTSD participant group estimated the temperature in the room to be lower than the actual values, and preferred hot soup to control food/drink presented at room temperature. The implications of the relationships among loneliness, physical warmth, and psychological/interpersonal warmth on PTSD therapy are discussed.

Life Events and Personality Predicting Loneliness Among Centenarians: Findings From the Georgia Centenarian Study

ABSTRACT Regarding the purpose of this study, the researchers analyzed the roles that both life events (life-time positive events and life-time negative events) and personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Trust, Competence, and Ideas) played in participants of the Georgia Centenarian Study. The researchers analyzed these variables to determine whether they predicted loneliness. Analyses indicated that life-time negative events significantly predicted loneliness. In essence, the higher was the number of life-time negative life events, the higher was the loneliness score. Moreover, Neuroticism, Competence, and Ideas were all significant predictors of loneliness. The higher was the level of Neuroticism and intellectual curiosity, the higher was the level of loneliness, whereas the lower was the level of Competence, the higher was the level of loneliness. In addition, both life-time positive and life-time negative life events were significant predictors of Neuroticism. The higher was the number of life-time positive events, the lower was the level of Neuroticism, and the higher was the number of life-time negative events, the greater was the level of Neuroticism. These results indicated that life-time negative events indirectly affect loneliness via Neuroticism. Last, our results indicated that the Competence facet mediated the relationship between life-time negative life events and loneliness. Life-time negative life events significantly affected centenarians’ perceived competence, and Competence in turn significantly affected the centenarians’ loneliness. These results as a whole not only add to our understanding of the link between personality and loneliness, but also provide new insight into how life events predict loneliness.

Personality Predispositions and Loneliness in Adolescence

This study is an attempt to understand the relationship between Blatt's personality predispositions (self-criticism, dependency and efficacy) with loneliness in late adolescence. Participants were 426(204 boys and 222 girls) adolescents were selected through random cluster sampling from Shiraz high schools, Iran. They completed Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ) and Short form of Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale (SELSA-S). To examine reliability of measures Cronbach alpha coefficient and to determine the validity, factor analysis method were applied. Results showed that all of personality variables were significant predictors of loneliness: self-criticism was positive but dependency and efficacy were negetive predictors of loneliness.

The Relationship between Social Support and Loneliness in Elderly Women Living Alone

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between social support and loneliness in elderly women living alone. Method: Between 1 October 2008 and 30 April 2009, a random sampling method was conducted to recruit 112 elderly women who were living alone. The subjects were at least 65 years of age. Data was collected using the social support questionnaire, and the translated Korean Version of the Revised University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA Loneliness Scale). Results: In our study, the sources of social support were the children, neighbours, brothers and sisters, in this order. We found that the loneliness of the subjects was related to age, the number of children, and financial difficulty. The level of loneliness negatively correlated with the social support provided by children, brothers and sisters, other relatives, and neighbours. Also, there was a negative correlation with the social support satisfaction. The social support satisfaction and the social support offered by neighbours and relatives were the significant predictors of loneliness. Conclusion: The sources of social support, such as neighbours and relatives, and the social support satisfaction should be considered when planning intervention by nurses or social workers to decrease the level of loneliness in elderly women living alone.

Protective self-presentation, sources of socialization, and loneliness among Australian adolescents and young adults

This research assessed the relative impact of features of protective self-presentation, key sources of socialization, and social anxiety on individual differences in loneliness among Australian adolescents and young adults. In Study 1, 281 high school students living with parents completed self-report measures of loneliness, self-presentation features (i.e., fear of negative evaluation, social competence), parenting style (overprotection, care), peer relations (attachment, teasing) and social anxiety. Peer and parenting measures were significant predictors of loneliness, independent of self presentation influences. Social anxiety also added to the model after controlling for all other measures. In Study 2, 170 undergraduates living independently completed measures of the same constructs. Paralleling findings from Study 1, protective self-presentation features, peer relations, and social anxiety had unique effects on loneliness. As hypothesized, however, parenting measures did not add to the prediction model for young adults. Implications of findings are discussed in relation to understanding loneliness within high school and university age samples.

Predictors of Loneliness Among Court-Involved and Substance Abusing Mothers

This study examined predictors of loneliness among 94 urban mothers with a history of substance abuse and criminal justice involvement. The study replicated the finding that loneliness is significantly related to level of substance abuse. Significant predictors of loneliness included co-occurring conditions of the mother, the number of minors in the home, the level of domestic violence, informal social support, and service satisfaction. Based on these findings, the authors suggest that work with substance abusing mothers involved with the criminal justice system should address multiple ecological levels, including characteristics of the mother and her children, partner relations, and informal and formal social supports.

Loneliness, Social Support and Family Function among Elderly Korean Women

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among social support (network and satisfaction), family function, and loneliness among elderly Korean women. A sample of 68 elderly Korean women, who were at least 60 years of age and lived in Seoul, Korea, was obtained. Data were collected by interview, using the translated Korean versions of the Revised University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale (RULS), Family APGAR, and Social Support Questionnaire 6. The results indicate that the subjects were moderately lonely (M = 45.04) and had moderately functional families (M = 5.60). The means for social support were 1.37 for network size and 4.17 for satisfaction. Twenty‐one percent of the subjects lived with their spouses. The subjects who lived with their spouse had a larger number of network members than those who did not live with their spouse (t = −0.26, P &lt; 0.05). However, living with their spouse was not found to be associated with their social support satisfaction and family function. The level of loneliness was found to be related negatively to the level of social support network (r = −0.41, P &lt; 0.01), social support satisfaction (r = −0.43, P &lt; 0.01), and family function (r = −0.58, P &lt; 0.01). Thirty‐four percent of the variance in their loneliness was accounted for by their social support and family function. Family function was found to be the significant predictor of loneliness. Subjects who had a lower level of family function were found to be more lonely than those who had a higher level of family function (β = −0.39, P &lt; 0.01).

Loneliness in children: Behavioural, interpersonal and cognitive correlates

AbstractThis study investigated the associations that three behavioural patterns, peer acceptance and rejection, friendships, and self-depreciating attributions have with children’s reports of loneliness at school. Data were collected from 214 children who were 11- to 12-years-old. Classmates provided peer perceptions of prosocial, aggressive, and withdrawn behaviour and rated sociometric status. Children themselves provided data on mutual friendships, feelings of loneliness, and attributions for social success ond failure. Regression analyses indicated that withdrawn behaviour and lack of friends were significant predictors of loneliness. Rejected children were significantly more withdrawn, less cooperative, and lonelier than were other groups of children. Internal, stable attributions for social failure were associated with more loneliness at school. However, no significant associations were found between reports of loneliness and attribution patterns for social success. Intervention for socially rejected children may be specifically warranted when the child shows withdrawn behaviour.

The Acceptance of Lonely Others: Effects of Loneliness and Gender of the Target Person and Loneliness of the Perceiver

The reactions of lonely people toward other lonely people and the relationship between loneliness and self-concepts were examined. The 2-way and 3-way interaction effects showed that low lonely perceivers reacted more negatively toward the lonely target person. The relationship between loneliness and self-concept was examined using a multidimensional measure of self-concept. Results showed that loneliness correlated negatively with self-concept. In multiple regression analyses, the most significant predictors of loneliness were self-concept of relations with same gender and opposite gender peers and general self-concept.

The Importance of Emotional and Social Isolation to Loneliness Among Very Old Rural Adults

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of emotional and social isolation to loneliness among very old rural adults. The sample (N = 119) was selected using a compact area cluster sampling design. Multiple regression analysis showed that emotional isolation--more specifically, the loss of spouse--accounted for more loneliness than social isolation. Hearing acuity and visits with siblings (social isolation variables) were also significant predictors of loneliness. The implications for loneliness interventions are discussed.

Predictors of Loneliness in Older Women and Men

Loneliness is an emotion which evolves from cognitive processes when there is a discrepancy between desired and available relationships (Peplau, Micelli & Morasch, 1982). Older women and men are especially vulnerable to loneliness due to the significant changes in relationships which occur in old age. The literature which addresses loneliness in older adults is incomplete, especially in regard to differences between women and men. This pilot study explores whether factors which predispose people to loneliness, and factors which precipitate in loneliness differ in women and men. Univariate comparisons on the study variables revealed no significant differences between women and men. Hopelessness was found to be a significant predictor of loneliness in both women and men. In addition there was a trend for spiritual well-being (existential) and education to have a smaller effect in women than in men. Additional studies with larger samples are needed to look at multiple predictors of loneliness in older women ...