Evidence that loneliness can be reduced by a whole-of-community intervention to increase neighbourhood identification

A UK national cross-sectional survey of stroke support groups: exploring the role of social identification and group processes in reducing loneliness

BACKGROUND

Loneliness is a common experience following stroke. Stroke support groups may protect against loneliness, but little is known about how these groups exert their influence. This research drew upon current theorising on the role of groups for health and explored i) social identification as a potential mechanism for overcoming loneliness, and ii) psychological group resources (support, control, self-esteem), and functional group processes (clear goals, group autonomy, member continuity) which might structure social identification.

METHODS

Five hundred seventy-nine stroke survivors from 84 Stroke Association support groups across the UK completed a cross-sectional survey measuring: support group identification; psychological resources (given and received social support, control, self-esteem, identity centrality); functional processes (goal clarity, group autonomy, member continuity); and loneliness (3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale).

RESULTS

Greater support group identification was associated with reduced loneliness (β = -0.45, p < 0.001). Given (β = 0.17, p = 0.001) and received (β = 0.10, p < 0.001) social support, goal clarity (β = 0.17, p = 0.002), and group member continuity (β = 0.19, p < 0.001) were all associated with greater support group identification.

CONCLUSIONS

Social identification with the group may be a mechanism by which stroke support groups alleviate loneliness, potentially through facilitating attendance, mutual social support and the development of collective goals. Further research should explore how these processes influence social identification in newly formed groups, where social identity has not yet been established.

[Strategies against loneliness-examples from an international comparative perspective]

The extent of loneliness differs internationally. Especially in the developed welfare states of Northern Europe, loneliness levels in the population are comparatively low. However, the increase in loneliness in many countries shows that existing concepts are not sufficient to provide effective protection against loneliness. Younger people also need to be strengthened so that they do not withdraw when they experience social exclusion and loneliness. This requires qualified specialists in kindergartens, schools, sports clubs, and other leisure facilities who help children and young people to establish social contacts. Friendship and neighborhood models have proven to be successful when it comes to strategies to combat loneliness. Greater identification with the neighborhood and a feeling of security help build social networks and reduce loneliness. For older people it is important to be able to stay in their usual social environment and maintain their social contacts. To this end, accessible public spaces must be combined with home care and support services that are tailored to the needs and wishes of older people.

Connecting to Community: A Social Identity Approach to Neighborhood Mental Health

ACADEMIC ABSTRACT

Integrative theorizing is needed to advance our understanding of the relationship between where a person lives and their mental health. To this end, we introduce a social identity model that provides an integrated explanation of the ways in which social-psychological processes mediate and moderate the links between neighborhood and mental health. In developing this model, we first review existing models that are derived primarily from a resource-availability perspective informed by research in social epidemiology, health geography, and urban sociology. Building on these, the social identity model implicates neighborhood identification in four key pathways between residents' local environment and their mental health. We review a wealth of recent research that supports this model and which speaks to its capacity to integrate and extend insights from established models. We also explore the implications of the social identity approach for policy and intervention.

PUBLIC ABSTRACT

We need to understand the connection between where people live and their mental health better than we do. This article helps us do this by presenting an integrated model of the way that social and psychological factors affect the relationship between someone's neighborhood and their mental health. This model builds on insights from social epidemiology, health geography, and urban sociology. Its distinct and novel contribution is to point to the importance of four pathways through which neighborhood identification shapes residents' mental health. A large body of recent research supports this model and highlights its potential to integrate and expand upon existing theories. We also discuss how our model can inform policies and interventions that seek to improve mental health outcomes in communities.

The mediating role of community identity in the relationship between social class and life satisfaction: Evidence from Chinese community residents

Research has shown that social class is an important predictor of life satisfaction. However, the underlying mechanism for this relationship is yet to be fully elucidated. The study examined the underlying mechanism based on the social identity approach to health. Study 1 recruited 577 community residents to complete self-report questionnaires. Correlation analysis showed that social class, community identity, and life satisfaction were positively correlated with each other. Regression analysis showed that community identity mediated the relationship. To increase the replicability and derive causal inference of the results, Study 2 was a randomized control trial (N = 76) that used the resource-availability task to manipulate subjective social class, and found that life satisfaction in the lower-class group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Further analysis showed that social class predicted life satisfaction through the mediating role of community identity. The findings provide potential strategies to enhance community residents' life satisfaction.

Social group connections support mental health following wildfire

PURPOSE

As environmental disasters become more common and severe due to climate change, there is a growing need for strategies to bolster recovery that are proactive, cost-effective, and which mobilise community resources.

AIMS

We propose that building social group connections is a particularly promising strategy for supporting mental health in communities affected by environmental disasters.

METHODS

We tested the social identity model of identity change in a disaster context among 627 people substantially affected by the 2019-2020 Australian fires.

RESULTS

We found high levels of post-traumatic stress, strongly related to severity of disaster exposure, but also evidence of psychological resilience. Distress and resilience were weakly positively correlated. Having stronger social group connections pre-disaster was associated with less distress and more resilience 12-18 months after the disaster, via three pathways: greater social identification with the disaster-affected community, greater continuity of social group ties, and greater formation of new social group ties. New group ties were a mixed blessing, positively predicting both resilience and distress.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that investment in social resources is key to supporting mental health outcomes, not just reactively in the aftermath of disasters, but also proactively in communities most at risk.

Understanding loneliness in late life

Loneliness in late adulthood is a public health issue. Thus, understanding the etiology of loneliness is of critical importance. Here, we conceptualize the development of loneliness in late life as dynamic interactions between individual and contextual processes. Specifically, we suggest that loneliness arises if the existing social relationships are unable to meet a set of social expectations. These expectations are fulfilled by three different layers of the social structure: 1) close confidants; 2) broader social networks; and 3) involvement in the community. Although older adults experience losses in their broader network and engage less in the community, they may avoid loneliness by focusing on close confidants. However, these adaptations may make it more difficult for older adults to overcome loneliness.

The associations between daily reports of loneliness and psychotic experiences in the early risk stages for psychosis

AIM

Bi-directional associations between loneliness and psychotic experiences (PEs) have been reported, but the mechanisms underlying these associations are unknown. This study aims to explore associations between daily reports of loneliness and PEs, and test differences in this association across young adult individuals at different levels of risk for psychosis.

METHODS

We analysed 90-day diary data on loneliness and PEs from N = 96 participants (mean age 24.7, range 18-35, 77% female) divided into 4 subgroups, each indexing increased levels of risk for psychosis according to the clinical staging model: 'psychometric' (n = 25), 'low' (n = 27), 'mild' (n = 24), and 'ultra-high'(n = 20) risk. Multilevel vector autoregressive models examined within-day (contemporaneous) and between-day (temporal) associations between loneliness and PEs for the total sample. Next, these associations were compared across subgroups.

RESULTS

Loneliness and PEs were significantly associated contemporaneously (partial correlation B = 0.14) but not temporally. Subgroup membership moderated both contemporaneous and temporal associations. The contemporaneous association between loneliness and PEs was stronger in the low-risk subgroup compared to the mild-risk (B = -0.35, p < .01) and ultra-high-risk (B = -0.36, p < .01) subgroups. The temporal association between loneliness on the previous day and PEs on the current day was stronger in mild-risk subgroup compared to the ultra-high-risk subgroup (B = -0.03, p = .03). After adjusting for multiple testing, only the contemporaneous-but not the temporal-associations remained statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Loneliness is associated with PEs in individuals at risk for psychosis, particularly in those with low to mild symptoms. Our findings tentatively suggest that especially individuals with low expressions of PEs may be more sensitive to social context, but future studies are needed to replicate and further unravel the potentially stage-specific interplay between social context and PEs.

Association between Levels of Loneliness, Laboratory Measurements, and Behavioral Aspects in a Primary Care Setting in Crete, Greece

This paper examines potential associations of loneliness with laboratory data and specific psychosocial and behavioral attitudes. The sample collection took place in an urban Primary Health Care unit between May and July 2023, consecutively, and once exclusion criteria were implemented. Participants were aged between 40 and 75 years. Routine laboratory test results upon study initiation and six months before were used. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Loneliness Scale (Version 3), blood glucose, serum lipids, Fibrosis-4 index, and Creatinine Clearance (CrCl) were assessed through hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis. Based on full model (3rd) analysis, those who were engaged in an individual sport or activity or had contacts with more friends presented significantly lower odds for increased loneliness levels (odds ratio (OR): 0.28 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09-0.91], p = 0.034 and OR: 0.76 [95%CI 0.66-0.88], p < 0.001, respectively). The consumption of alcohol was associated with increased loneliness (OR: 5.55 [95%CI 1.42-21.63], p = 0.014). Elevated triglyceride levels were linked with moderate or no loneliness (OR: 0.20 [95%CI 0.05-0.83], p = 0.026), while an increased LDL/HDL atherosclerotic index was related to increased subjective loneliness (OR: 4.50 [95%CI 1.12-18.13], p = 0.035). The need for holistic approaches-involving primary care personnel-in understanding and addressing loneliness, recognizing its multifaceted nature as well as the diverse factors that contribute to this issue, is considered challenging.

Disability-related inequalities in the prevalence of loneliness across the lifespan: trends from Australia, 2003 to 2020

BACKGROUND

Experiencing loneliness can be distressing and increasing evidence indicates that being lonely is associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes. Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that people with disability have increased risk of experiencing loneliness compared to people without disability. However, we do not know if these inequalities have changed over time. This study investigated the prevalence of loneliness for people with disability in Australia annually from 2003 to 2020 to examine whether disability-related inequalities in loneliness have changed over time, and disaggregated results for subgroups of people with disability by age group, sex, and disability group.

METHODS

We used annual data (2003-2020) from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey. Loneliness was measured by a single question assessing the subjective experience of loneliness. For each wave, we calculated population-weighted age-standardised estimates of the proportion of people experiencing loneliness for people with and without disability. We then calculated the absolute and relative inequalities in loneliness between people with and without disability for each wave. Analyses were stratified by 10-year age groups, sex, and disability group (sensory or speech, physical, intellectual or learning, psychological, brain injury or stroke, other).

RESULTS

From 2003 to 2020, the prevalence of loneliness was greater for people with disability, such that people with disability were 1.5 to 1.9 times more likely to experience loneliness than people without disability. While the prevalence of loneliness decreased for people without disability between 2003 and 2020, the prevalence of loneliness did not decrease for people with disability during this period. Inequalities in loneliness were more substantial for people with intellectual or learning disabilities, psychological disability, and brain injury or stroke.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that people with disability have increased risk of loneliness compared to people without disability. We add to the existing evidence by demonstrating that disability-related inequalities in loneliness have persisted for two decades in Australia without improvement. Our findings indicate that addressing inequalities in loneliness for people with disability is a critical public health concern given that loneliness is associated with a wide range of poor health outcomes.

Do Municipal Contexts Matter for Adolescent Mental Health? A Within-Municipality Analysis of Nationwide Norwegian Survey Data Across Six Years

Despite growing concerns about substantial socio-economic differences between districts in many developed nations, limited attention has been paid to how adolescent mental health may be shaped by district characteristics. A few studies have shown that adolescent mental health is related to contextual factors such as district socio-economic status, neighborhood disorder, and quality of infrastructure. However, prior estimates may be an artifact of unmeasured differences between districts. To address these concerns, we used data from the nationwide Norwegian Ungdata surveys (N = 278,764), conducted across the years 2014 to 2019. We applied three-level hierarchical linear models to examine within-municipality associations between municipal factors and adolescent mental health in the domains of internalizing problems (i.e., depressive symptoms), externalizing problems (i.e., behavioral problems), and well-being (i.e., self-esteem), thereby accounting for all time-invariant municipality-level confounders. Our results showed that municipal-level safety, infrastructure, and youth culture are associated with adolescent mental health problems. Further, cross-level interaction models indicated gender-specific associations, with stronger associations of municipality infrastructure and community belongingness with increased self-esteem and reduced delinquent behaviors among girls than boys. Our findings highlight that municipality-level interventions may be a feasible strategy for adolescent mental health, even in a society characterized by low inequality and high redistribution.

What explains the well-being benefits of physical activity? A mixed-methods analysis of the roles of participation frequency and social identification

OBJECTIVE

Physical activity in a social setting is said to be associated with well-being because it provides opportunities for participants to form social relationships. However, there are inconsistent findings regarding the well-being benefits of participating in physical activity with others. To address this inconclusive evidence, we draw on the social identity approach to health and well-being to examine whether (a) the frequency of physical activity participation in a social setting and (b) the degree of social identification associated with it, have different relationships with participants' well-being.

METHODS

We implemented a two-phase, mixed-methods design with members of women's only fitness clubs in Japan. In Study 1, we collected survey responses about social identification, life satisfaction, and eudaimonic well-being from 1118 members. The survey data were combined with respondents' objective participation data from a membership database. In Study 2, we interviewed a sample of club members to understand how the nature of social relationships differed depending on the degree of their social identification.

RESULTS

Study 1 found that social identification with a fitness club, but not the frequency of attending the club for physical activity, was positively associated with members' well-being. Study 2 revealed that members with high social identification experienced more affective relationships with other members than those with medium or low identification.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research provides quantitative and qualitative evidence supporting the association between social identification and the well-being benefits of physical activity in a social setting. It confirms the predictions of the social identity approach to health and well-being, demonstrating that people enjoy well-being benefits from physical activity participation when it is internalized as a meaningful definition of self.

What works in interventions targeting loneliness: a systematic review of intervention characteristics

BACKGROUND

Loneliness has been linked to negative health and economic outcomes across the life course. Health effects span both physical and mental health outcomes, including negative health behaviours, lower well-being, and increased mortality. Loneliness is however preventable with effective intervention. This systematic review aims to identify what has worked in interventions for loneliness to guide the development of future interventions.

METHODS

Eight electronic databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Social Policy and Practice, Social Sciences Citation Index, Epistemonikos, CINAHL, Cochrane Library) were systematically searched from inception to February 2022 using terms for intervention and loneliness to identify relevant interventions in the general population. No restrictions on age, socio-economic status, or geographic location were imposed. Studies were to measure loneliness as the primary outcome through a validated scale or single-item question. Case studies were excluded. Additional studies were identified through citation chasing. Extracted data included study and intervention characteristics, and intervention effectiveness for cross-study comparison. Critical appraisal was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools before the studies were summarised in a narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

Searches identified 4,734 hits, from which 22 studies were included in this review. Of these studies, 14 were effective in reducing loneliness. Additionally, five studies presented unclear findings, and three concluded no decrease in loneliness. Interventions varied between group vs. individual format, online vs. in person delivery, and regarding both intervention duration and individual session length. Furthermore, this review highlighted five key areas when considering designing an intervention for loneliness: use of between session interaction, inclusion of clear learning mechanisms, role of active participation, number of opportunities for group or facilitator interaction, and variation in teaching and learning styles.

CONCLUSIONS

Group sessions seem preferred to individual formats, and interaction through active participation and group or facilitator contact appear beneficial, however studies also recognised the importance of a person-tailored approach to delivery. Studies suggest there is no 'quick fix' to loneliness, but that learnt practices, behaviours, and community connection should be built into one's lifestyle to achieve sustained intervention effectiveness. Future interventions should consider longer follow-up periods, male and populations with lower educational levels.

School climate, school identification and student outcomes: A longitudinal investigation of student well-being

BACKGROUND

Schools are increasingly recognized as key facilitators of child and youth well-being. Much attention has been directed to the school social environment and the areas of school climate or school connectedness/identification. Drawing on the social identity approach and related work, it has been argued that school social identification may be the mechanism or process through which school climate comes to impact individual student functioning (Applied Psychology, 28, 2009, 171). Much of the previous research on social identity and well-being, though, is limited because it is cross-sectional.

AIMS, SAMPLE & METHODS

This current study aims to advance understanding of the relationships between school climate, school identification and positive and negative well-being. It adopts a three-wave longitudinal sample of Australian students (N = 6537 wave 3, grades 7-10) and incorporates a range of control variables. Multilevel modelling (MLM) is used to test relationships of interest.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

In line with predictions, school identification was a significant mediator of the relationship between school climate and the well-being dimensions of positive affect and depression (but not anxiety). The substantial theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed, including the role of the school social environment in helping young people successfully transition to adulthood.

Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Loneliness in Mid- and Later Life: Are Benefits Contingent on Race/Ethnicity or Neighborhood Disorder?

OBJECTIVES

Connections between social integration and health throughout the life span are well established, including at the neighborhood level and among older adults. Less explored is how pathways between neighborhood social cohesion and well-being may differ by race/ethnicity or by neighborhood disorder. This study investigates whether perceived neighborhood social cohesion is associated with loneliness in adults aged 50 and older, and whether this association is moderated by race/ethnicity or perceived neighborhood disorder.

METHODS

We used pooled cross-sectional data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study and respondents to the Leave-behind Questionnaire age 50 and older, living in the community (N = 10,713). Data were analyzed using multivariate ordinary least squares regression.

RESULTS

Perceived social cohesion was negatively associated with loneliness (B = -0.13, p < .001); however, this effect was strongest among White respondents, and significantly weaker for respondents who were Black (B = 0.02, p < .05), Hispanic (B = 0.03, p < .05), or of another race/ethnicity (B = 0.03, p < .05). Further, neighborhood disorder moderated the association between social cohesion and loneliness (B = 0.02, p < .001), reducing the strength of relationship for those in areas of high disorder. Inclusion of this interaction also attenuated the interaction between neighborhood cohesion and race for Black older adults.

DISCUSSION

Findings show that neighborhood social cohesion matters for midlife and older adults' loneliness, but that this relationship varies by race/ethnicity and neighborhood disorder. As such, neighborhood racial/ethnic makeup and both social and objective neighborhood characteristics should be considered when designing interventions to reduce loneliness.

Hypocortisolemic reactivity to acute social stress among lonely young women

We examined biopsychosocial stress of acute social pain in relation to chronic loneliness. Hypotheses: 1) Cyberball exclusion (vs. inclusion) would be associated with lower cortisol reactivity to a speech task, and 2) loneliness would moderate the relationship between social exclusion and cortisol reactivity to a speech task, such that higher loneliness would be linked to lower cortisol. Participants (n = 31, women, aged 18-25, 51.6% non-Hispanic white) were randomized to be excluded or included in a game of Cyberball, then completed a speech task. Salivary cortisol was measured at baseline, pre-speech, post-speech, and 15 minutes post-speech. Cortisol reactivity was calculated using area under the curve-increase (AUCi). ANOVA revealed a non-significant, meaningful effect of Cyberball exclusion on cortisol AUCi (p=.103, ηp2=.10), accounting for contraceptive use. Moderation analysis revealed among women with high loneliness, women in the exclusion condition had significantly lower cortisol reactivity than women in the inclusion condition (p=.001). For women with low and medium loneliness, there were no significant differences by Cyberball condition. In sum, lonely young women who are excluded may have hypocortisolemic responses to social stress. Results are consistent with literature suggesting that chronic stress is linked to lower cortisol responses, which is linked to negative physical health outcomes.

The Role of Perceived Neighborhood Cohesion in the Association between Depressive Symptoms and Cigarette Smoking

BACKGROUND

Greater depression has been linked to increased smoking rates. However, the mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood. It is possible that high perceived neighborhood cohesion may serve as one such mechanism given its associations with decreased depression and smoking. Having increased levels of depression likely impacts one's perceptions of neighborhood cohesion, which could lead to further increases in depression and a need to manage these symptoms via cigarette smoking. As a first test of this theory, the current study examined the effect of neighborhood cohesion on the association between depressive symptoms and smoking frequency and quantity among past 30-day cigarette smokers.

METHODS

Participants were 201 combustible cigarette smokers (Mage = 48.33, SD = 11.64; 63.2% female; 68.2% White) who completed self-report measures as part of a larger study of environmental influences on cardiac health.

RESULTS

Greater depressive symptoms were associated with lower levels of perceived neighborhood cohesion, and there was a significant indirect effect of greater depressive symptoms on heavier smoking through decreased neighborhood cohesion (b = .07, SE = .04, 95% CI [.003, .15]). There was no significant indirect effect for daily smoking.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that neighborhood cohesion is an important contextual factor that serves as one explanatory mechanism for the well-established relationship between depression and smoking quantity. Thus, there may be utility in implementing interventions focused on increasing neighborhood cohesion as a way to decrease smoking behavior.

Intragroup contact with other mothers living in the same neighborhood benefits mothers' life satisfaction: The mediating role of group identification and social support

Becoming a mother is often accompanied by a loss of social connections, which can reduce the availability of social support. This can increase maternal stress with negative health outcomes. Therefore, we examined how mothers' social contact with other mothers living in the same neighborhood can form a compensative source of social support and wellbeing. Data was collected from mothers (N = 443) of a child under school age while visiting the public maternity and child health clinics located in two neighborhoods in Helsinki, Finland. We found that mothers' frequent and positive contact with other local mothers was positively related with their life satisfaction through identification-based social support. Contact also had a specific indirect effect on life satisfaction through social support. Frequent positive contact with other local mothers can serve to scaffold the emergence of social identification, which in turn unlocks further social support with positive health effects.

A community-led intervention to build neighbourhood identification predicts better wellbeing following prolonged COVID-19 lockdowns

Introduction

A growing body of research supports the importance of social cohesion for population wellbeing. However, the majority of this research has been correlational, and rarely have interventions been evaluated.

Method

We conducted a two-timepoint study investigating the role of Neighbour Day, a grass-roots, community-led intervention that seeks to build social cohesion across the population. Among a sample of 843, 125 were Neighbour Day participants while the remainder were not.

Results

We found that, compared to non-participants, Neighbour Day participants had significantly higher neighbourhood identification, experienced greater social cohesion, and had larger neighbourhood social networks. Between timepoints, the majority of the sample experienced prolonged lockdowns to prevent COVID-19 transmission, and so unsurprisingly, wellbeing declined and psychological distress increased. However, Neighbour Day participants were protected against these negative mental health effects of lockdown. These benefits of Neighbour Day participation were mediated via neighbourhood identification.

Discussion

Overall, the findings speak to the promise of large-scale interventions to build social identity, particularly due to their capacity to build resilience and protect people's wellbeing during times of collective change or crisis.

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

OBJECTIVES

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.

METHODS

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.

RESULTS

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.

DISCUSSION

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.

A three-timepoint network analysis of Covid-19's impact on schizotypal traits, paranoia and mental health through loneliness

The 2019 coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has impacted people's mental wellbeing. Studies to date have examined the prevalence of mental health symptoms (anxiety and depression), yet fewer longitudinal studies have compared across background factors and other psychological variables to identify vulnerable subgroups in the general population. This study tests to what extent higher levels of schizotypal traits and paranoia are associated with mental health variables 6- and 12-months since April 2020. Over 2300 adult volunteers (18-89 years, female = 74.9%) with access to the study link online were recruited from the UK, the USA, Greece and Italy. Self-reported levels of schizotypy, paranoia, anxiety, depression, aggression, loneliness and stress from three timepoints (17 April to 13 July 2020, N₁ = 1599; 17 October to 31 January 2021, N₂ = 774; and 17 April to 31 July 2021, N₃ = 586) were mapped using network analysis and compared across time and background variables (sex, age, income, country). Schizotypal traits and paranoia were positively associated with poorer mental health through loneliness, with no effect of age, sex, income levels, countries and timepoints. Loneliness was the most influential variable across all networks, despite overall reductions in levels of loneliness, schizotypy, paranoia and aggression during the easing of lockdown (time 3). Individuals with higher levels of schizotypal traits/paranoia reported poorer mental health outcomes than individuals in the low-trait groups. Schizotypal traits and paranoia are associated with poor mental health outcomes through self-perceived feelings of loneliness, suggesting that increasing social/community cohesion may improve individuals' mental wellbeing in the long run.

Acceptability and Feasibility of an Intervention to Enhance Social Group Belonging: Evidence From Three Trials of Groups 4 Health

Groups 4 Health (G4H) is a group psychotherapy program that targets social group disconnection. An emerging evidence base supports its efficacy in reducing loneliness, depression, and social anxiety. However, to date there has been no formal analysis of its acceptability to clients and therapists, nor an investigation of its feasibility for wider implementation. This input from end users is crucial to ensure the program's wider suitability and to contribute to its improvement. This study drew data from three clinical trials, including 266 G4H clients and 68 G4H therapists. From the Phase III trial only, additional data were available from 90 clients in a dose-controlled cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) comparison group, and focus groups/interviews with 6 therapists and 13 clients. Client satisfaction was high, with all average ratings &gt;7/10, significantly exceeding the CBT comparison group. Therapist satisfaction with each module was &gt;5/7. Retention was &gt;80%. Homework completion was high, with &lt;10% of clients saying that they had not attempted the homework. Therapists and clients both emphasized the benefits arising from G4H, and the contribution of the group context itself as a vehicle to achieve positive outcomes.

Loneliness and Alcohol-Related Problems among College Students Who Report Binge Drinking Behavior: The Moderating Role of Food and Alcohol Disturbance

Loneliness and alcohol misuse are common among college students and pose a threat to public health. To better understand the longitudinal association between these public health concerns we examined food and alcohol disturbance (FAD; i.e., restricting one's caloric intake prior to drinking) as a moderator in the association between loneliness and alcohol-related problems. Participants were 456 college students from a mid-sized university who engaged in past 30-day binge drinking. The majority of participants identified as being White (67.1%), female (78.1%), and reported a mean age of 19.61 (SD = 1.54) years. Participants completed two surveys (3 weeks apart) over the course of an academic semester. Analyses revealed a significant interaction between loneliness and FAD, such that loneliness (T1) significantly and positively predicted alcohol-related problems (T2), but only among individuals who engaged in relatively higher levels of FAD (T1). FAD may be an appropriate target for interventions aimed at reducing alcohol-related problems among college students experiencing loneliness.

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

Research has demonstrated that life transitions lead to heightened experiences of loneliness, in part because they engender isolation. We tested whether the degree of isolation during a transition influences loneliness, and if this is due to their effects on social identity processes. Employing an experimental paradigm, Study 1 (N = 213) found that when the transition involved isolation from new networks, in this case studying at university online as opposed to in person, it led to more loneliness, and this was mediated through reduced social identification and continuity of group memberships. Study 2 (N = 215) replicated these effects using a different experimental paradigm in which the transition involved isolation from old group memberships, namely moving to a new neighbourhood from interstate. Study 3 (N = 2346) employed a quasi-experimental repeated-measures design to assess the impact of a highly isolating life transition on loneliness–COVID lockdown. Australians in prolonged lockdown experienced increases in loneliness and this was mediated through (lack of) continuity of group memberships. Overall, these results suggest that isolation needs to be considered when assessing the impact of life transitions on loneliness. Moreover, the mediation results indicate that isolating transitions may be responsible for loneliness because these make it difficult to maintain crucial group memberships and form a sense of identification with relevant new groups.

Neighborhood Makes or Breaks Active Ageing? Findings from Cross-Sectional Path Analysis

Mental ill-health prolongs and complicates other chronic illnesses, which is a major public health concern because of the potential stress it places on health systems. Prevention via active aging and place-based interventions thus became increasingly important with population aging, e.g., through health promotion and age-friendly neighborhoods. However, how the targeted outcomes of these efforts are related remains unclear. This paper examined whether the relationship between active living and mental health or health-related quality of life is mediated by neighborhood cohesion. Cross-sectional data were drawn from n = 270 community-dwelling adults aged 50 and above in the Gerontology Research Program—Center for Ageing Research in the Environment (GRP-CARE) Survey. Path analysis showed that one can live actively for better mental health (B_total = 0.24), but it is largely mediated by neighborhood cohesion (37%). Further examination of the factors of neighborhood cohesion showed that this mediation is explained by communal affordance (B_indirect = 0.05) and neighborhood friendship (B_indirect = 0.05). Additional study of the association between these mediators and factors of mental health revealed two psychosocial processes: (1) better community spaces (e.g., greenery and third places) support communal living (B = 0.36) and help older adults obtain emotional support (B = 0.32) for greater autonomy (B = 0.25); (2) spending more time outdoors enhances neighborhood friendship (B = 0.33) and interpersonal skills (B = 0.37), which in turn improves coping (B = 0.39). In short, the effects of active living on health are limited by one’s neighborhood environment. Neighborhood cohesion must be considered or it may stifle individual and policy efforts to age actively and healthily in urban environments. Context-sensitive implementations are required.

Who helps and why? A longitudinal exploration of volunteer role identity, between-group closeness, and community identification as predictors of coordinated helping during the COVID-19 pandemic

Mutual aid groups have allowed community members to respond collectively to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing essential support to the vulnerable. While research has begun to explore the benefits of participating in these groups, there is a lack of work investigating who is likely to engage in this form of aid-giving, although early accounts suggest that existing volunteers have played a significant part in the mutual aid phenomena. Taking a social identity approach, the present study sought to identify what social psychological processes predict this continued engagement by exploring predictors of coordinated COVID-19 aid-giving for pre-existing volunteers. A two-wave longitudinal online survey study (N = 214) revealed that volunteer role identity among existing volunteers at T1 (pre-pandemic) was positively associated with volunteer-beneficiary between-group closeness at T1, which in turn was positively associated with community identification at T1. This in turn positively predicted coordinated COVID-19 aid-giving at T2 (3 months later). This paper therefore reveals the intra- and intergroup predictors of pandemic-related coordinated aid-giving in pre-existing volunteers. Implications for voluntary organisations and emergency voluntary aid provision are discussed.

The longitudinal effect of COVID-19 infections and lockdown on mental health and the protective effect of neighbourhood social relations

Rationale

The effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on mental health is a major concern worldwide. Measuring the impacts, however, is difficult because of a lack of data that tracks and compares outcomes and potential protective social factors before and during lockdowns.

Objective

We aim to quantify the impact of a second lockdown in 2020 in the Australian city of Melbourne on levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, and analyse whether social relations in the neighbourhood may buffer against the worst effects of lockdown.

Methods

We draw on quasi-experimental data from a nationally-representative longitudinal survey conducted in Australia. We use a difference-in-difference approach with a number of control variables to estimate changes in mental health among respondents in Melbourne following the imposition of the lockdown. A measure of perceived neighbourhood social relations is included as an explanatory variable to analyse potential protective effects.

Results

Lockdown is estimated to have increased depressive symptoms by approximately 23% and feelings of loneliness by 4%. No effect on anxiety was detected. Levels of neighbourhood social relations were strongly negatively associated with mental health symptoms. A significant interaction between lockdown and neighbourhood social relations suggests that lockdown increased depressive symptoms by 21% for people with average perceived neighbourhood relations, compared with a 9.7% increase for people whose perceived relations is one standard deviation greater than average.

Conclusion

The results add to evidence of the harsh impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns on mental health. Importantly, neighbourhood social relations and social cohesion more broadly may be an important source of social support in response to lockdowns. These findings provide important insights for researchers and policy-makers in how to understand and respond to the mental health impacts of COVID-19.

Social identity makes group-based social connection possible: Implications for loneliness and mental health

This review argues that a distinctly positive form of social connection is made possible by the social identities that people derive from psychologically meaningful group memberships. These connections have important implications for mental health by virtue of their distinct capacity to furnish people with a sense of collective meaning, purpose, support, and efficacy. This analysis suggests that loneliness and its toxic effects arise in part from the challenges of achieving this distinct form of social connection in contemporary society. However, it also suggests that a good way to tackle loneliness and support mental health is by building, restoring, and sustaining social identities through meaningful group-based connections. We conclude by reflecting on the success of interventions that do precisely this - most notably Groups 4 Health.