Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Loneliness”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Living arrangements, loneliness, and social support of low-vision older clients.

1. Loneliness has been linked to both psychological and medical problems. The study of loneliness and social support should interest nurses because nursing interventions may assist in preventing or alleviating potential health problems. 2. Study results indicate that low-vision older clients who lived alone were no lonelier than those who lived with others. Clients who lived alone were as satisfied with their social networks as those who lived with others. The actual number of supporters in the social network had no effect on loneliness for either group. 3. Neither group was particularly lonely. The nurse cannot assume that the combination of low-vision and living alone results in loneliness. Because different categories of supporters were linked to different areas of need, nurses need to help clients determine their emotional needs and identify who in the clients' network can best meet these needs.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Self-critical and dependent aspects of loneliness.

In this study, the concept of loneliness is examined in relation to different types of depression. The Depressive Experience Questionnaire and the short form of the Revised UCLA Loneliness scale were administered to 70 normal subjects. Both anaclitic and introjective factors of depression were found to be significantly related to loneliness. Contrary to expectations self-critical (introjective) depression accounted for twice the variance of the loneliness measure than dependent (anaclitic) depression. Introjective depression as an integral component of the inner dynamic of loneliness is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Determinants of loneliness in Jerusalem's 70-year-old population.

This study aims to find the determinants of feelings of loneliness in 70 year olds living in Jerusalem. Results based on home interviews (n = 605) of a 40% systematic sample of 70 year olds in the electoral register showed that around 46.3% of females and 21.3% of males reported being lonely. Persons of European/North American origin felt less lonely than those of Asian or African origin, probably due to the former's wider social support network, perceiving friends, neighbors or other relatives as being available to back up children in an emergency. The major factors associated with loneliness were: being depressed, having a poor self-assessed health status, not attending synagogue, and being widowed but not remarried. Factors that did not reduce loneliness included having paid employment, watching TV or listening to the radio. No association was found between cognitive status and loneliness. Our systems model suggests a strong reciprocal relationship between loneliness and depression.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Disentangling the interrelations between hopelessness, loneliness, and suicidal ideation.

We attempted to disentangle the interrelations between hopelessness, loneliness, and suicidal ideation, by comparing two conceptually driven models of their relationships, prospectively among 234 undergraduates, using a series of multiple regression/correlation equations. Model 1 framed loneliness as a risk factor for future suicidality that operates via its influence on hopelessness (the mediational view). Model 2 viewed hopelessness as a source variable that is predictive of both loneliness and suicidality, and postulated no relation between loneliness and suicidality beyond hopelessness. Model 2 received support, whereas Model 1 did not. We discuss the implications of our findings for the nomological status of hopelessness and loneliness as correlates of suicidality, and for exploration of the structural interrelations of suicide-related variables in general.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed1997

Predictors of loneliness in centenarians: a parallel study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate predictors of loneliness in centenarians for two countries: The USA and Sweden. It was hypothesized that cognition, personality, social support and physical health would predict loneliness. Results indicated that personality, social support and physical health were good predictors of loneliness in the US sample, while cognition and social support were the strongest predictors in the Swedish sample. Social support predicted loneliness negatively in the US sample, but was positively associated with loneliness in Sweden.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2026

Interventions to Reduce Loneliness in Informal Caregivers of People With Dementia: A Systematic Review.

AIM: To summarize the current evidence on reducing loneliness among informal caregivers of people with dementia, such as family members or friends. DESIGN: A systematic review. METHODS: The methodological quality was evaluated using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized controlled trials and the revised JBI critical appraisal checklist for quasi-experimental studies. Data were extracted as predefined and synthesized narratively. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication checklist was used to report the intervention characteristics. DATA SOURCES: Six electronic databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, and Web of Science Core Collection) were searched for studies published in peer-reviewed English journals from the inception of each database until 28 January 2024. RESULTS: Eight studies were included in this review, published between 2002 and 2023, with three being randomized controlled trials. All included interventions were psychosocial. Only one study reported significant improvements in loneliness. Five studies utilized remote and online interventions, such as social networking, psychotherapy, and online social support. Interventions varied in their impact on secondary outcomes, including stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and caregiver burden. Four studies demonstrated a positive effect on caregiver stress levels. One pilot trial reported a positive impact on depressive symptoms, and another study noted potential improvements in anxiety. One pilot study reported an average improvement in caregiver burden. CONCLUSION: While the evidence is insufficient for conclusive statements, this systematic review suggests potential benefits of interventions to reduce loneliness and improve mental health among these caregivers. It highlights the promise of remote interventions in addressing loneliness among dementia caregivers. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: The findings suggest that tailored interventions, especially those delivered remotely, can enhance the support provided to caregivers, potentially improving their mental health and overall well-being. REPORTING METHOD: This systematic review adhered to the PRISMA statement. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Humans↗
PubMed1999

Mediation effect of social support between ethnic attachment and loneliness in older Korean immigrants.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the mediating effect of two types of social support (emotional and tangible support) between ethnic attachment and loneliness in older Korean immigrants. Emotional and tangible social support had three components; network size, network composition, and satisfaction with network members. The sample consisted of 174 older Korean immigrants who lived in a metropolitan area. Telephone interviews were used to collect data using translated Korean versions of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, Ethnic Attachment Questionnaire, and the Revised Social Support Questionnaire. Emotional and tangible social support network size and satisfaction mediated the effect of ethnic attachment on loneliness. Older Koreans who had stronger ethnic attachment had more emotional and tangible supports, were more satisfied with their supports, and had a lower level of loneliness. Emotional and tangible social network composition did not serve as mediators in this study.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1984

Loneliness and attachment patterns in young adults.

Loneliness is a pervasive problem for many young adults. How early attachment patterns affect later development of loneliness was investigated in a college sample. Forty-seven young adults residing in Los Angeles were screened for race, disability, age and SES and then administered an attachment history questionnaire and several measures of loneliness, including the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Pearson correlations revealed a moderate to strong relationship between feeling lonely and early disrupted attachment. The results of the study are consistent with Bowlby's notion that underlying attachment disorders may affect subsequent psychological development and social behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Patients' loneliness: a challenge for rehabilitation nurses.

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of loneliness felt by young and middle-aged adults in a long-term rehabilitation center and the relationship among such variables as loneliness, age, and length of institutionalization. A convenience sample was taken from a long-term rehabilitation center in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Findings indicate that loneliness is present among young and middle-aged adults in this long-term rehabilitation center and is more prevalent among those who have been admitted more recently. Nursing intervention strategies to deal with loneliness are presented.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Health consequences of loneliness in adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to test a causal model developed from a theoretical formulation of the health consequences of loneliness in adolescents. The sample consisted of 325 adolescents, ages 12 to 21. Data were obtained in classroom settings on the variables of age, gender, and loneliness on one testing date; and on the variables of introspectiveness, symptom patterns, and perceived health status on another testing date 1 week later. The causal model was tested via the LISREL 7 program. By all indicators used in this study, there was a very good fit of the overidentified model with the data, the causal relationships predicted in the model were correctly specified, and modification of the model was not indicated. The results indicated that loneliness contributed to introspectiveness, that both loneliness and introspectiveness contributed to the reporting of symptom patterns, and that all of the aforementioned variables contributed directly and/or indirectly to a less positive perception of health status among adolescents. A vast majority of the direct and indirect effects of age and gender predicted on other variables in the model were supported.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Validation of the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale for adolescents.

The purposes of this study were to determine the dimensionality of the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale for adolescents through factor-analytic techniques, and to provide construct validity for the instrument by testing four theoretically derived hypotheses in 333 adolescents, ages 12 to 21. Using a prior criteria, a two-factor structure, resulting from a principal components analysis with an orthogonal rotation, best represented the dimensionality of the instrument for adolescents. The two factors demonstrated acceptable coefficient alpha reliabilities. Evidence of construct validity for the total scale was provided by three statistically significant correlations found between the scale and the theoretically relevant variables of future time perspective, close friend solidarity, and dependency. Contrary to expectation, slow tempo was not appreciably related to loneliness. The results support the use of the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale in future research concerning loneliness in adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Intervention against loneliness in a group of elderly women: an impact evaluation.

An intervention program, based on an interpretation of everyday loneliness as consisting of two parts--emotional and social estrangement--is discussed. The main variables were availability of a confidant, social comparison and personal control (the CCC-design). The intervention took the form of small group meetings. The sample consisted of elderly women living in Stockholm and interviews were held before, and 6 months after participation in the program. Results showed that subjects had less feelings of loneliness, and also less feelings of meaninglessness, more social contacts, higher self-esteem, greater ability to trust and lower blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) after the intervention. Analyses showed that women with several years of adult employment on the same job experienced the greatest decrease in feelings of loneliness. Also, women who had had much contact with their grandparents, and women who had experienced a serious or protracted illness in the family during childhood, had the greatest decline in blood pressure. It was concluded that change in blood pressure operates through some other mechanism than the one which effects feelings of loneliness. Finally, a model is presented for distinguishing between different levels of intimacy.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

Loneliness and alcohol abuse: a review of evidences of an interplay.

This report contains a review of the literature about the interplay between loneliness and the abuse of alcohol. A theoretical discussion based on clinical observations can be dated back to the 1950's. Systematic empirical studies, however, appear sparsely and have mainly been performed during the last decade. Thus, knowledge is still incomplete, but the review indicates that loneliness may be significant at all stages in the course of alcoholism: as a contributing and maintaining factor in the growth of abuse and as an encumbrance in attempts to give it up. Concordant reports demonstrate that alcoholics do feel more lonely than members of most other groups do. In advanced abusers, loneliness is obviously connected with a number of negative characteristics and, together with several of those, directly linked to a poor prognosis. There are, however, no obvious relations to the external social situation (i.e. network) or amount of drinking. Instead, the feeling of loneliness appears to be more connected with a general negative perception about oneself and one's relations to other people and also with a general dissatisfaction with most things in life. The lonely abuser seems likewise resigned and unable to bring himself to change his/her situation. There are also associations with a broad array of psychopathology. In comparison to people with other health problems, the supportive value of the social network of alcoholics appears to be more wavering.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed2004

The relationship of peer victimization to social anxiety and loneliness in adolescent females.

This study examined the relationship of overt and relational victimization to social anxiety, loneliness, and prosocial behaviours in a sample of female adolescents. The Social Experience Questionnaire, Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, and Asher Loneliness Scale were administered to 561 girls in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades of an urban parochial high school. Consistent with prior work, overt and relational victimization were positively associated with fear of negative evaluation, social avoidance of general and new situations, and loneliness. In addition, prosocial behaviours from peers moderated the effects of relational victimization on loneliness. Implications of these findings for the role of peer victimization and prosocial behaviours in female relationships are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Relationship specialization amongst sources and receivers of social support and its correlations with loneliness and subjective well-being: a cross sectional study of Nepalese older adults.

Social support, subjective well-being (SWB), and loneliness are issues of central importance in research concerned with the quality of life (QOL) of elderly people in the 21st century. However, very little is known about the situation in low-income countries such as in Nepal. The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationships significant in social support (received (SSR) and provided (SSP)) and analyze their connections with loneliness and SWB. The subjects, not suffering from dementia, were 60 years and above living in Kathmandu city. The data was analyzed using logistic regression with some confounding variables controlled. The results indicate that loneliness is high and SWB is low amongst Nepalese older adults. SSR from children living together and SSP to spouse, children living together and friends and neighbors reduce loneliness. SSP to children living apart increases SWB-life satisfaction. SSR from children living together and SSP to children (living together and apart) increases SWB-life stability. However, SSP to relatives reduces SWB-life satisfaction and SSR from relatives reduces SWB-life stability in Nepalese older adult men.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Culture and pathology: flathead loneliness revisited. The 2001 Roger Allan Moore lecture.

My earlier considerations of Flathead loneliness and depressive disorder yielded an interpretation that emphasized the lack of necessary pathology in the Flathead experience of loneliness. In this paper I detail a shift in my thinking about the pathological character of loneliness, a shift traceable to a set of interactions that have led me away from illness experience and diagnosis to questions of treatment, intervention, and healing. I explore how this new set of questions refocused my attention-away from an exclusive preoccupation with the lonesome individual. I conclude with a reimagination of the pathological dimensions of Flathead loneliness as aspects of both group and individual health.

Colonialism↗
PubMed1980

The revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: concurrent and discriminant validity evidence.

The development of an adequate assessment instrument is a necessary prerequisite for social psychological research on loneliness. Two studies provide methodological refinement in the measurement of loneliness. Study 1 presents a revised version of the self-report UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale, designed to counter the possible effects of response bias in the original scale, and reports concurrent validity evidence for the revised measure. Study 2 demonstrates that although loneliness is correlated with measures of negative affect, social risk taking, and affiliative tendencies, it is nonetheless a distinct psychological experience.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1982

Loneliness and patterns of self-disclosure.

The first study in this paper examined the hypothesis that feeling lonely is related to a self-perceived lack of self-disclosure to significant others. Thirty-seven male and 38 female undergraduates rated themselves on the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Jourard Self-Disclosure Questionnaire. Analyses showed that for males and females, loneliness was significantly and linearly related to a self-perceived lack of intimate disclosure to opposite-sex friends. For females, loneliness was also associated with a perceived lack of self-disclosure to same-sex friends. The second study investigated the relationship between loneliness and actual disclosure behavior. Twenty-four lonely subjects and 23 nonlonely subjects were paired with nonlonely partners in a structured acquaintanceship exercise. Both opposite-sex pairs and same-sex pairs were included in the design. Postexercise ratings by partners indicated that lonely subjects were less effective than nonlonely subjects in making themselves known. Analysis of the intimacy level in the conversations showed that lonely subjects had significantly different patterns of disclosure than nonlonely subjects. We suggest that the self-disclosure style of the lonely person impairs the normal development of social relationships.

Female↗