Developing a measure of loneliness

Internalized Stigma Is a Predictor of Mental Health Secrecy and Loneliness in Young People With Clinical Depression Symptoms: A Longitudinal Study

Young people with depression experience loneliness and internalized stigma. Stigma might make disclosing depression to others difficult, thus increasing loneliness and reducing the opportunity for treatment. Knowing whether internalized stigma predicts loneliness and secrecy reinforces the need for stigma reduction efforts. The aim of this research was to examine the independent effects of internalized stigma and clinical depression on loneliness and mental health secrecy in young people with a range of depressive symptoms (Mood and Feelings Questionnaire score ≥ 27). A total of 275 young people (Mage = 20.53, SD = 2.17) were recruited and completed the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Inventory, the 5-Item Link's Secrecy Scale, and the UCLA Loneliness Scale at baseline and again at 1-month follow-up (N = 172, Mage = 20.40, SD = 2.00). Results showed that internalized stigma was associated with baseline loneliness (β = 0.57, 95% CI: 7.87-11.75, p < 0.001), baseline secrecy (β = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.23-0.45, p < 0.001), and secrecy over time (β = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04-0.30, p = 0.009). This work highlights the need to develop targeted interventions to reduce stigma and encourage mental health disclosure and help-seeking behaviors among young people with depression.

Investigating the effects of reminiscence using smells on loneliness and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The use of a variety of sensory elements is recommended when implementing reminiscence therapy. However, there is a lack of evidence supporting this recommendation. This study aimed to examine the benefits of using smell as a memory trigger during reminiscence therapy for community-dwelling older adults, focusing on its effects on loneliness and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

Seventy-nine community-dwelling older adults were randomly allocated to either an intervention or a control group. Participants in the intervention group underwent a total of eight 40-min. reminiscence therapy sessions once a week that used smell as a trigger. The control group underwent similar reminiscence therapy but only used themed conversations. Their responses were assessed pre- and post-intervention using the UCLA Loneliness Scale version 3 (UCLA LS3), which evaluates loneliness, and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15-Japanese, which measures the state of depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

The pre-intervention comparison of the participants' characteristics and each evaluation item showed significant differences (P = 0.030) between the two groups' olfactory visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. Subsequently, we performed analysis of covariance via repeated measurements, using olfactory VAS as the covariate, and found significant interactions in UCLA LS3 (P = 0.006) alone. To identify items for consideration during interventions, we examined factors related to post-intervention UCLA LS3 scores. Our results showed that the notion of usefulness, by which participants perceived the smell triggers to be useful for inducing reminiscence (P = 0.045), was significantly related to pre-intervention UCLA LS3 scores (P < 0.001) in the intervention group.

CONCLUSION

These findings show that using smell as a trigger during reminiscence therapy can effectively alleviate loneliness and suggest the need to prepare appropriate odorants for facilitating reminiscence.

The mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between social networks and self-neglect: A cross-sectional study of older adults living alone in rural China

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the interrelationships between social networks, loneliness, and self-neglect, focusing on the mediating role of loneliness.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2023 to February 2024, involving 582 older adults living alone in rural Southwest China. Participants completed validated scales:the Scale of the Elderly Self-neglect,the 6-item Lubben Social Network Scale,the 6-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Mediation analysis was performed using SPSS PROCESS macro.

RESULTS

Social isolation prevalence reached 38.5%, with 90% reporting loneliness. Social networks showed a negative correlation with self-neglect, whereas loneliness demonstrated a positive correlation with it. Loneliness partially mediated the relationship between social network and self-neglect, accounting for 37.22% of the total effect.

CONCLUSION

Impaired social connectivity and heightened loneliness were prevalent among rural older adults living alone, both significantly associated with self-neglect behaviors. Multidimensional community-based psychosocial interventions targeting both social networks enhancement and loneliness reduction are warranted.

Predictors of smartphone addiction in adolescents with depression: combing the machine learning and moderated mediation model approach

Smartphone addiction (SA) significantly impacts the physical and mental health of adolescents, and can further exacerbate existing mental health issues in those with depression. However, fewer studies have focused on the predictors of SA in adolescents with depression. This study employs machine learning methods to identify key risk factors for SA, using the interpretable SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method to enhance interpretability. Additionally, by constructing a mediation moderation model, the interactions between significant risk factors are analyzed. The study included 2203 adolescents with depression. Machine learning results from four models (Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, XGBoost) consistently identified emotion-focused coping, rumination, and school bullying as the strongest predictors of SA. Further mediation moderation analyses based on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model revealed that rumination significantly mediated the relationship between school bullying and SA, and emotion-focused coping significantly moderated the relationships between school bullying and both rumination and SA. This is the first study to use machine learning to explore the predictors of SA in depressive adolescents and further analyze the interactions among these predictors. Future interventions for SA in adolescents with depression may benefit from psychotherapy that addresses emotion-focused coping and rumination.

Quality of life in older adults with mood states associated with bipolar disorder: A secondary analysis of the English longitudinal study of ageing data

OBJECTIVES

To investigate: (i) whether mood states associated with bipolar disorder are associated with poorer quality of life in older adults, and (ii) what are some of the predictors of quality of life in older adults with mood states associated with bipolar disorder.

METHODS

The authors completed a cross-sectional multilevel analysis of panel data from seven waves of The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing dataset. The main analysis included 567 participants who reported experiencing mood states associated with bipolar disorder. Some participants reported this in more than one wave, resulting in 835 observations of mood states associated with bipolar disorder across the seven waves. Quality of life was assessed using the Control, Autonomy, Self-realization, and Pleasure-19 (CASP-19) measure.

RESULTS

The presence of mood states associated with bipolar disorder was significantly associated with poorer quality of life, even after controlling for multiple covariates (age, sex, social isolation, loneliness, alcohol use, education level, and economic status). Loneliness significantly predicted poorer quality of life in older adults with mood states associated with bipolar disorder. In contrast, higher educational attainment and being female predicted better quality of life in this group.

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults with mood states associated with bipolar disorder have potentially worse quality of life compared to the general population, which may be partly driven by loneliness. This has ramifications for the support offered to this population and suggests that treatments should focus on reducing loneliness to improve outcomes.

The societal cost of 'unwanted' loneliness in Spain

Unwanted loneliness negatively affects people's health and quality of life, increasing morbidity and the risk of premature death; this situation can generate major social costs. The aim of this study is to estimate the social costs of loneliness in Spain for 2021: both tangible costs -monetary value of health costs and production losses- and intangible costs -Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). To estimate costs not derived from mortality, information from a sample of 400 people with unwanted loneliness was compared with that derived from two samples of the general population obtained from the Spanish National Health Surveys. To estimate the costs associated with premature deaths, the population attributable fraction was calculated using the relative risks estimated in previous survival studies. In the baseline scenario, the tangible costs of unwanted loneliness are estimated to be around 14,129 million euros in 2021, representing 1.2% of Spain's GDP. Approximately 56.8% of the tangible costs correspond to production losses due to reduced working time, and 43.2% are due to healthcare costs related with increased consultation frequency in healthcare services and higher consumption of medicines related to loneliness. In addition, loneliness generates a reduction in quality of life equivalent to 1.04 million QALYs, which corresponds to 2.8% of the total stock of QALYs of the Spanish population over 15 years of age.

Examining Online Behaviors of Young Adults During the Covid-19 Pandemic Social Isolation Period with Regard to Life Satisfaction, Loneliness, and Hostility

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed individuals to intense restrictions and social isolation, as well as the possibility of deterioration of physical health. In the pandemic period, the Internet has become the principal avenue for social interaction, leisure related activities, and school-work pursuits for most people and consequently problematic Internet use (PIU) has increased dramatically in this period. Modeling of PIU among university students - considered one of the most negatively affected groups at this time - along with PIU subconstructs as well as indicators of psychological well-being - life satisfaction, loneliness, and hostility - will be valuable in directing future studies. This study examined the effects of the psychological well-being indicators of life satisfaction, loneliness, and hostility on PIU constructs; the preference for online social interaction, Internet use for mood regulation, and deficient self-regulation of Internet use during the Covid-19 pandemic social isolation period. Participants were 418 undergraduate students from a public university (130 male and 288 female). Results revealed that young adults with low life satisfaction have been more likely to problematically use the Internet to regulate their mood during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hostility and loneliness between which there is a moderately strong direct relationship, were similarly related to deficiently self-regulated Internet use. Moreover, individuals experiencing feelings of loneliness are more likely to use the Internet problematically for online social interaction purposes, while those experiencing feelings of hostility are more likely to use it problematically for mood regulation purposes. Given the significant relationships between indicators of psychological well-being and PIU, higher education institutions should take measures to prevent PIU behaviors in their students in case they face potential periods of social isolation.

There Is No Place Like Home: The Impact of Public Home-Based Care on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Older People

Despite a significant policy shift from institutional to home-based care for older adults, evidence on the effectiveness of policies incentivizing home care is limited. This study provides novel evidence on the causal effect of public home-based care on the mental health and well-being of older people. To address endogenous selection, we implement a novel instrumental variable approach that exploits eligibility rules for long-term care as defined in national legislations. We link longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Aging & Retirement in Europe (SHARE, 2004-2017) to national LTC eligibility rules in France, Germany, Spain and Belgium (disaggregated for Wallonia and Flanders regions) and examine how exogenous variation in the use of long-term care caused by varying eligibility rules impacts depressive symptoms (EURO-D scale), quality of life (CASP scale) and loneliness (R-UCLA scale). We find that receiving formal home-based care significantly reduces depressive symptom scores by 2.6 points (large effect size measured by Cohen's d) and the risk of depression by 13 percentage points. The use of home-based formal care also increases quality of life as measured by the CASP scale, particularly by increasing feelings of control over life. We show that one potential mechanism involves the impact of home-based care on loneliness: we estimate that receiving formal home-based care reduces the risk of loneliness by 6.7 percentage points. Our results provide evidence that an increase in home-based care coverage is justified in terms of improved mental health and well-being outcomes for older people.

The Relationship Between Loneliness and Internet or Smartphone Addiction Among Adolescents: A Systematic Review and meta-Analysis

Background: Loneliness is a common public health problem that influences people's physical and mental health. There is a high incidence of loneliness in adolescents. Some research suggested that smartphone or Internet addiction (SA or IA) may be a factor. But the relationship between loneliness and SA or IA is not completely clear among adolescents. We aim to estimate the correlation coefficient r between them. Methods: Databases, consisting of PubMed and Web of Science, were retrieved systematically for studies of the association between adolescents' loneliness and SA or IA. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was chosen as an assessment tool in this analysis. We estimated the correlation coefficient r between loneliness and SA or IA and drew a forest plot. Moreover, moderator analyses were also conducted to explore what leads to heterogeneity in our study. Results: 21 studies were finally included in our analysis with 27,843 samples. The pooled correlation coefficient r was 0.252 (95% confidence interval: [0.173, 0.329]; p < 0.001) with low heterogeneity (I2 = 0.000%; Q = 23.616; p < 0.001), indicating a moderate positive association. The funnel plot indicated small publication bias. A one-study removal sensitivity analysis indicated there was no significant difference between these studies. Meta-regression indicated no significant difference between the results and age (Q = 11.94, df = 18, p = 0.8504). Conclusions: Our analysis indicated a moderate positive association between loneliness and SA or IA. The results may attract the attention of some experts who study adolescent psychological problems and behavioral problems and may provide ideas for their research in the future.

Understanding Factors Associated With Sleep Quality in Korean American Older Adults Residing in Subsidized Senior Housing

PURPOSE

Sleep quality is crucial for older adults, yet many experience poor sleep due to physical, mental, and social factors. The current study addresses the research gap on sleep quality among Korean American older adults in senior housing by examining relevant factors.

METHOD

Using data from 314 Korean American residents in Los Angeles senior housing, we conducted descriptive analysis and logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Poor sleep was significantly associated with poor physical health (odds ratio [OR] = 4.89), low energy (OR = 7.92), severe pain (OR = 14.92), multiple chronic conditions (OR = 2.71), and poor mental health (OR = 5.82), including moderate to severe anxiety (OR = 4.71) and depression (OR = 5.11).

CONCLUSION

Findings emphasize the unique sleep needs of Korean American older adults in senior housing and provide insights to improve their well-being. The study also highlights the need for further research using longitudinal designs, broader samples, and comprehensive sleep measures. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, xx(x), xx-xx.].

Making the connection: social networks and type 2 diabetes among Black/African American Men: mixed-methods study protocol

This mixed-methods study protocol investigates the role of social networks in Type 2 diabetes (T2D) self-management among Black/African American (B/AA) men, a population disproportionately affected by T2D. The study employs a convergent design, combining quantitative social network analysis with longitudinal qualitative interviews. A nationally representative sample of 1,200 B/AA men with T2D will complete an online survey assessing their social networks, T2D self-management practices, and related psychosocial factors. A subset of 65 participants will engage in semi-structured interviews at two timepoints 6 months apart to explore the formation and evolution of supportive relationships. The study aims to: (1) identify specific aspects of social networks related to T2D self-management adherence, and (2) characterize the formation and evolution of relationships that improve T2D self-management strategies. Quantitative data will be analyzed using multivariate and multilevel regression techniques, while qualitative data will undergo thematic analysis. This comprehensive approach will provide insights into the structure and function of social networks among B/AA men with T2D, potentially informing culturally tailored interventions to improve T2D outcomes in this underserved population. The study's innovative focus on the broader social context of T2D management among B/AA men has the potential to address health disparities and contribute to more effective strategies for reducing the burden of T2D in this population.

Mentalizing, Loneliness and Pain-Related Depressive Symptoms Are Associated with Pain Severity in Patients with Rheumatic Diseases: Results of a Cross-Sectional Secondary Analysis

Background/Objectives: Patients with rheumatic diseases often experience pain-related depressive symptoms, potentially exacerbated by feelings of loneliness and social isolation. This study explores the role of mentalizing, i.e., the understanding of inner mental states in oneself and others, as a protective factor in this context. Methods: In this secondary analysis, n = 76 patients completed the FESV depression scale, MZQ UCLA loneliness scale and pain severity items from the German Pain Questionnaire. Structural equation models and mediation analyses were employed to test different theoretical models. Results: The best model fit was found for Model 3, which described the association of loneliness with pain severity (β = 0.34, p = 0.004). The association was fully mediated by a sequential mediation of mentalizing and pain-related depression. Adding the mediators increased the overall explained variance of pain severity from 12% to 41% with an excellent model fit (CFI > 0.99; TLI > 0.99; RMSEA = 0.001). Conclusions: The study suggests that patients' pain severity may be influenced by the interaction between loneliness, depressive symptoms and mentalizing abilities. The negative impact of pain-related depressive symptoms and loneliness on pain severity underscores the need for their targeted management in routine care for chronic pain patients. Improvement of mentalizing may be a resilience factor for these patients.

Social Isolation, Loneliness, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in a Chronic Ulcer Population With and Without Stigma: An Observational Trial

Chronic leg ulcers impact millions worldwide, causing visible symptoms including discoloration, swelling, scarring, and requiring bulky bandaging, which often leads to stigma. Stigma may worsen other psychosocial impairments. This observational study examined stigma, social isolation, loneliness, anxiety, and quality of life (QOL) in adults aged 50+ receiving clinic-based wound care. Participants provided sociodemographic information and completed validated assessments. Among the 26 completers (13 with stigma/S+, 13 without stigma/S-), the average age was 63.2 years; 38% were female, and 58% Black/African American. Most (73%) had ≥high school education, 77% were single, and 42% were employed. Mean BMI was 38.7 kg/m², with 3.7 comorbidities. Stigma scores were higher in S+ (9.8 ± 4.6) versus S- group (6.0 ± 0.0). Loneliness was ≥40 for 15% (S-) versus 53% (S+). Social support was higher in S+ (77.0 ± 21.9) versus S- (64.5 ± 22.3), as was anxiety (50.5 ± 7.6 vs 43.3 ± 8.5). S+ reported lower QOL in appearance (2.8 ± 1.6) and clothing (2.4 ± 1.3). Findings underscore stigma's impact on health, warranting further research on protective and resilience interventions.

Ambiguity potentiates effects of loneliness on feelings of rejection

For social species, having strong and high-quality social relationships is an important safety cue. Loneliness occurs when an individual perceives they have insufficient relationships resulting in feelings of lack of safety. States of perceived unsafety are linked to an increased tendency to construe ambiguous information - information lacking a unique clear interpretation - as threatening. Here, we explore whether the ambiguity of social cues of interpersonal rejection moderates effects of loneliness on feelings of rejection while undergoing social exclusion. Data were collected in 2021; 144 adults completed a progressive social exclusion paradigm where they were randomly assigned to be equally included, excluded, or over-included. Social exclusion/inclusion cues became more pronounced over the course of multiple rounds of a ball-tossing game (Cyberball) resulting in a scenario where ambiguity was highest in earlier rounds and decreased over time. Participants reported feelings of loneliness prior to the task and feelings of rejection throughout the task. Results demonstrated that higher loneliness predicted increased feelings of rejection regardless of exclusion condition. Notably, this positive relationship was strongest during earlier rounds when social cues were most ambiguous. These findings contribute to our understanding of how loneliness modulates social perception to enable organisms to adequately adapt to changing circumstances.

Exposure to and Engagement With Digital Psychoeducational Content and Community Related to Maternal Mental Health by Perinatal Persons and Mothers: Protocol for a Web-Based Survey With Optional Follow-Up

BACKGROUND

Leveraging digital platforms may be an effective strategy for connecting perinatal persons and mothers with evidence-based information and support related to maternal mental health and peers. Momwell is a mom-centered model of care that provides psychoeducational content through several digital platforms, including social media, a podcast, and a blog. The aims of this project were to describe how perinatal persons and mothers engage with Momwell's psychoeducational content and community; describe the perceived benefits of exposure to and engagement with content and community; examine associations between engagement with digital psychoeducational content and maternal mental health, parenting attitudes, and interparental relationships; and examine changes in mental health and parenting attitudes and concurrent engagement with Momwell's digital psychoeducational content and community over 2 to 3 months.

OBJECTIVE

This paper aims to describe the design of a study of perinatal persons and mothers who are exposed to or engage with Momwell's psychoeducational content and community and describe sample characteristics.

METHODS

Adults who engaged with Momwell on any of their digital platforms were recruited to complete a web-based survey in July 2023 to September 2023. Participants completed either a longer or shorter survey. Participants who provided permission to be recontacted were invited to complete a second survey 2 to 3 months later. The surveys included validated psychological measures, study-specific quantitative questions, and open-ended questions that assessed participant demographics, exposure to and engagement with Momwell's psychoeducational content and community, maternal mental health, parenting relationships, parenting self-efficacy, and additional psychosocial and health measures. We outline planned analyses to achieve the aims of the project.

RESULTS

Data collection occurred from July 2023 to September 2023 (N=584). A subset of participants completed the optional second survey in October 2023 to December 2023 (N=246). Participants were >99% mothers (582/584, 99.7%); 45.5% (266/584) perinatal (59/584, 10.1% pregnant; 210/584, 36% post partum); and, on average, aged 32.4 (SD 3.9) years. In total, 59.1% (345/584) were from the United States, 35.6% (208/584) were from Canada, and 5.3% (31/584) were from other countries. The vast majority (552/584, 94.5%) followed Momwell on Instagram, 44.2% (258/584) listened to the Momwell podcast, and 41.1% (240/584) received their newsletter. Most participants had been exposed to Momwell's psychoeducational content for at least 6 months across the different platforms (range 16/36, 44% on TikTok to 480/552, 87% on Instagram).

CONCLUSIONS

Data from this study will provide insights into how pregnant persons and mothers use digital psychoeducational content and peer communities to support their mental health throughout the perinatal period and into the early years of motherhood. Leveraging digital platforms to disseminate evidence-based digital psychoeducational content related to maternal mental health and connect peers has the potential to change how we care for perinatal persons and mothers.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/64075.

Validation study of the Croatian version of the Three-Item Loneliness Scale and its association to social network indices

BACKGROUND

Loneliness is a prevalent and complex phenomenon influenced by various social and demographic factors. The goal of this study was to translate the Three-Item UCLA Loneliness Scale into Croatian and test its validity and reliability in practice. An additional aim was to explore the relationship between social connectedness and loneliness within the Croatian population, with respect to age and gender.

METHOD

The Three-Item Loneliness Scale was translated into Croatian and validated according to widely accepted guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation and translation of the questionnaire into different languages. Subsequently, loneliness and social connectedness were examined in 309 Croatian participants using an anonymous online survey.

RESULTS

The results indicated a significant association between social connectedness and loneliness. In particular, those with fewer individuals in their social network were associated with higher loneliness. Notably, age had a significant negative association with loneliness, indicating increased loneliness among younger individuals. Meanwhile older individuals with fewer active network domains experienced heightened loneliness compared to other age groups. No effect of gender was observed.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the importance of social connectedness in relation to loneliness, particularly among younger and older age individuals. This study, through its validation of the instrument for measuring loneliness, offers important insights into the unique Croatian context, emphasizing how cultural and social factors may influence the experience of loneliness and social connectedness.

Loneliness and cardiovascular disease incidence: two cohorts of older adults in the USA and South Korea

BACKGROUND

We investigated the relationship between loneliness and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in older adults from the USA and South Korea. We conducted counterfactual mediation analyses to explore the potential mediation of this relationship by health behaviors.

METHODS

We used the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n = 13 073) from the USA and the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA; n = 8311) from South Korea. In both cohorts, baseline loneliness was assessed using one item from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Incident CVD was defined as reporting new-onset CVD on the biennial questionnaire or CVD death reported by proxies. Within each cohort, we estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of incident CVD according to loneliness (yes/no) over 12-14 years of follow-up, adjusting for baseline covariates: social isolation, sociodemographic factors, health conditions, and health behaviors.

RESULTS

Feeling lonely was associated with an increased likelihood of developing CVD in the USA (aHR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.27) and South Korea (aHR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.34). Several behaviors accounted for a proportion of the association: physical activity (14.3%, P = 0.03 in HRS; 1.3%, P = 0.04 in KLoSA) and alcohol (3.9%, P < 0.001 in HRS; 1.3%, P < 0.001 in KLoSA) in both countries, smoking only in HRS (4.7%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The magnitude of the impact of loneliness on CVD was similar in both countries, but behavioral pathways differed. Loneliness may be a risk factor for CVD regardless of culture; however, different prevention strategies in clinical settings may be required.

The relationship of self-esteem and mental health among older adults with the mediating role of loneliness

BACKGROUND

Mental health (MH) is one of the most important resources of human life, particularly during older adulthood. Self-esteem (SE) is related to mental health (MH), and loneliness may serve as a mediator in the relationship between SE and MH. However, the role of loneliness in this relationship is not well understood. This study aims to evaluate the association between SE and MH in older adults, specifically focusing on the mediating role of loneliness in this relationship.

METHODS

This cross-sectional correlational study was conducted in 2023 using structural equation modeling. Participants were 357 older adults selected through quota sampling from comprehensive urban healthcare centers in Urmia, Iran. Data collection instruments included a demographic questionnaire, the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, the General Health Questionnaire, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Data were analyzed using the SPSS (v. 23.0) and the SmartPLS (v. 3.0) software.

RESULTS

SE had a significantly weak positive association with MH (ß = 0.095; P < 0.001) and a significantly weak negative association with loneliness (ß = -0.288; P < 0.001). Additionally, loneliness had a significantly strong negative association with MH (ß = -0.632; P < 0.001). The study confirmed that loneliness acts as a mediator between SE and MH (β = -0.688, 95% CI: 0.1427, 1.2958; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Health assessments and loneliness screening programs are essential for older adults to identify symptoms early and prevent mental health issues. Governments should strengthen social connections among older adults through services and education. Urban healthcare centers can reduce loneliness by organizing community activities, encouraging pet ownership, and promoting participation in senior centers.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.

The association between loneliness, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress considering family compositions: a cross-sectional study in a Japanese rural area

Research on how loneliness, as a subjective experience, affects suicide risk remains insufficient. It also remains unclear whether the effects vary according to family composition. This study aimed to investigate the associations among loneliness, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress in a rural population in Japan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and September 2023 in a rural town in Akita Prefecture. Of the 5,000 surveyed residents, data from 1,842 respondents were analyzed. The exposure variable was loneliness, as assessed by the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale short form. The main outcome was the presence or absence of suicidal ideation, which was measured using a self-reported questionnaire. The secondary outcome was psychological distress, which was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). The collected data were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression and stratified analysis based on family composition. Loneliness was strongly associated with suicidal ideation and psychological distress. The loneliness-psychological distress association persisted regardless of family composition. Loneliness independently affected suicidal ideation and psychological distress among rural residents in Japan. To develop effective suicide prevention strategies in rural areas, it is essential to address both social isolation and the subjective experience of loneliness.

Correlates of Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Korean Adults

Background: Loneliness is a public health concern. Despite the increasing attention paid to loneliness globally, knowledge regarding the condition in Korea is scarce. This study aims to examine the correlates of loneliness and social isolation among Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a nationally representative sample of adults aged 30 years and older from the 2021 National Mental Health Survey of Korea (N = 4696). The survey used the six-item loneliness and social isolation scale (LSIS-6) to assess loneliness and social isolation between June and August, 2021. Two ordinary least squares regression models were conducted. Model 1 included socio-demographic variables as correlates of loneliness and social isolation. Model 2 added a range of mental health conditions, such as depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, alcohol-use disorder, nicotine-use disorders, and physical inactivity. Mental health was measured in relation to whether the participant had experienced each disorder in his/her lifetime. Results: A total of 34.4% of participants reported that they felt lonely at least occasionally. After all adjustments, the experience of mental health conditions was associated with an increase in the LSIS-6 score (B = 2.32 for depressive disorder, B = 0.59 for anxiety disorder, B = 0.36 for both alcohol-use disorder and nicotine-use disorder; p < 0.01). In addition, greater loneliness and social isolation were associated with male gender, older age, a lower educational level, non-married status, a lower household income, having a smaller number of children, having a greater number of chronic conditions, and taking less frequent walks per week. Conclusions: In conclusion, loneliness is prevalent among Korean adults. Loneliness and social isolation correlated significantly with socio-demographic characteristics and the experience of mental health conditions.

Voice assistants' influence on loneliness in older adults: a systematic review

Purpose: This review aims to examine how the use of voice assistants influences loneliness in older adults.

Materials and methods: This study follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Databases such as CINAHL, APA PsycINFO, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciELO, Google Scholar, and IEEE Xplore were used. We implemented search strategies in English to locate studies published between January 2010 and January 2023, including those examining the impact of voice assistant usage on loneliness in older adults. Descriptive information was examined, assessing its quality with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Results: A total of 499 studies were yielded from the initial search, with 13 included in the final analysis. Positive outcomes in reducing loneliness were reported in 84.6% of these studies. There was a prevalence of quasi-experimental studies, alongside heterogeneous measurement instruments, scarce use of standardized tests, and small samples predominantly consisting of women. Commercial voice assistants were the most commonly utilized.

Conclusions: Voice assistants show potential in mitigating feelings of loneliness in older adults. Adequate training and adaptation to specific needs seem essential to maximize their effectiveness. In particular, voice assistants available in the consumer market hold significant potential in this area. Further research is necessary to comprehend their impact, encompassing potential risks and ethical considerations.

Financial strain and the health and well-being of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: This study examined the associations between COVID-19-related financial strain and the stress, mental health, physical health symptoms, and health behaviors of American university students. Participants: Online data were collected from 485 participants between May 2020 and March 2021. Participants were majority female and majority white. Methods: Participants reported on stress (COVID-19 health stress and work stress), mental health (depression, anxiety, loneliness, social support, and subjective well-being), physical health symptoms, and health behaviors (sleep latency, alcohol consumption, alcohol coping, other substance use, exercise, COVID-19 health behaviors). Results: Both Pearson's correlations and Bayesian correlation indicated more stress and worse mental health, health symptoms, and health behaviors for students who experienced more financial strain. Conclusion: Pandemic-related financial strain could have enduring negative effects for students, many of whom already experience financial challenges. This work highlights a need to allocate resources to promote college student health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Loneliness is killing me?!": the subjective emotional experience of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic: results of a cross-sectional study in patients with a psychiatric disorder

PURPOSE

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in loneliness as well as mental health issues was detected. However, research on the association between loneliness and mental disorders is sparse. The aim of this study was to examine loneliness and associated social and emotional factors in patients with a psychiatric disorder and to investigate potential predictors of loneliness.

METHODS

Participants were N = 230 patients currently receiving psychiatric treatment at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany. A cross-sectional survey included questionnaires on loneliness, life satisfaction, need to belong, interpersonal trust, stress, and resilience.

RESULTS

Most participants (n = 91, 39.6%) suffered from depression, followed by anxiety disorder (n = 43, 18.7%). Significantly higher loneliness levels compared to norm samples were detected in all three loneliness questionnaires (all p <.05), and overall n = 128 (57.7%) reported to feel lonely. In addition, participants reported lower life satisfaction, lower interpersonal trust, and lower resilience than the general population (all p <.05). No significant differences in loneliness levels between different psychiatric diagnoses were revealed. It was found that lower satisfaction with life, lower interpersonal trust and lower resilience were significantly associated with higher loneliness (all p <.05).

CONCLUSION

This study underlines the importance to continue research on loneliness in people with mental disorders after the COVID-19 pandemic since the majority of patients reported to feel lonely. Further, tailored therapy-accompanying interventions to prevent loneliness in patients with a psychiatric disorder should be designed and evaluated to meet patients' diverse needs e.g., through online programs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trial Registration: DRKS00023741 (registered on April 6, 2021).

Factors impacting loneliness in patients with serious life-limiting illness in the Emergency Medicine Palliative Care Access (EMPallA) study

BACKGROUND

Loneliness is a quality-of-life (QoL) concern for patients facing serious, life-limiting illnesses. Discerning risk factors of loneliness in palliative care patients allows providers to take preventative action and develop holistic treatment plans.

METHODS

A planned sub-study of patients who completed the previously developed Three-Item Loneliness Scale upon enrollment into the multicenter, randomized clinical trial Emergency Medicine Palliative Care Access (EMPallA) with the objective of investigating the association of multimorbidity with loneliness in patients with late-stage illnesses. The EMPallA study included patients who were at least 50 years old and diagnosed with at least one end-stage illness (advanced cancer, advanced congestive heart failure (CHF), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), or advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)).

RESULTS

We analyzed 1,212 surveys using a mixed-effects logistic regression model. Our findings suggest those with a single illness are less likely to be lonely than those with multimorbidity (odds ratio [OR] = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.8). Additionally, older age was associated with less loneliness (OR comparing age by 10-year increments is 0.7 [95% CI: 0.6 to 0.9]), after adjusting for disease type, education level, race, sex, immigrant status, having a caregiver, COVID-19 period, language, and site geographic location.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients suffering from multimorbidity self-report being "very lonely" more often than patients with a single advanced illness; furthermore, advanced illness patients who were middle-aged (versus elderly) were 25% more likely to report being "very lonely."

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03325985. Registered October 30, 2017.

Anticipated Stigma from Family and Loneliness Among Chinese Gay Men: The Mediating Role of Guilt and the Moderating Role of Self-Compassion

In China, men are responsible for continuing the family line and the primary source of pressure for adult Chinese gay men comes from the expectations and demands of patrilineal nuclear families in general, parents in particular, and pressure to comply with social sexual orientation and identity norms and to perpetuate the family. Previous studies on the loneliness of LGBT individuals have paid less attention to the loneliness of gay men from a Chinese cultural perspective. This study investigated the relationship between anticipated stigma from family and loneliness among gay men. A sample of 408 gay men in China was recruited to investigate the associations between anticipated stigma from family, loneliness, guilt, and self-compassion using the 6-item University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, the Anticipated Stigma Questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Guilt Inventory, and the Chinese version of the Self-Compassion Scale. The results showed that gay men's anticipated stigma from family was positively associated with loneliness, guilt mediated the relationship between anticipated stigma from family and loneliness, and the isolation dimension of self-compassion moderated the relationship between anticipated stigma from family and guilt. The presence of high self-compassion mitigated the positive association between anticipated stigma from family and guilt.

Support groups for family members of older adults in residential aged care: A pilot feasibility study

OBJECTIVES

There are limited mental health support services in Australia that address the well-being of family members of aged care residents. The aim of this project was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of an online program designed to support residents' families.

METHODS

This one-arm mixed methods project examined uptake, attendance and retention patterns, satisfaction and experience with the service, and pre- and postoutcomes with respect to depressive and anxiety symptoms and loneliness. The sample comprised 38 participants.

RESULTS

The uptake, attendance and retention rates were high: 86%, 87% and 95%, respectively. Participants were satisfied with the content and format of the program. The benefits of participation included the following: connecting with peers, developing emotional well-being strategies, and learning about dementia and mental health issues. Suggestions for improving the program included the following: offering additional sessions and an option for meeting face-to-face. Symptoms of depression and anxiety improved significantly from pre- to postintervention time points, but loneliness did not statistically reduce over time.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found the family support group feasible and acceptable, and showed preliminary indications of effectiveness for improving depressive and anxiety symptoms for families of aged care residents.

Loneliness: A Scoping Review of Reviews From 2001 to 2023

The growing number of primary studies and reviews on loneliness, and the multidisciplinary efforts to comprehend this complex phenomenon from various perspectives, underscore the heightened recognition of its impact on individual and societal well-being and health. To comprehensively assess the size and scope of this research field, we conducted a scoping review of 35 English-language reviews of primary studies on loneliness, published between 2001 and 2023. Focusing specifically on psychological research, these reviews covered a total of N = 1,089 studies, which were conducted between 1986 and 2022. In addition to providing a broad overview of the structure of the field, the present scoping review aimed to explore the methodological landscape of loneliness research, including data collection, sample demographics, and measures, and to present key topics and evidence in the field. By deepening the understanding of loneliness and identifying data gaps and methodological challenges, our analyses provide critical insights for future research endeavors, thereby fostering advances in the field.

Suppression of Positive and Negative Emotions and Loneliness among Emerging Adults: A Moderated-Mediation Model of Romantic Relationship Satisfaction and Gender

Loneliness is prevalent in emerging adults, and there is a great need to understand its antecedents to combat loneliness. This study aimed to examine whether romantic relationship satisfaction mediated the relationship between the suppression of positive and negative emotions and loneliness and whether gender moderated the relationship between the suppression of positive and negative emotions and romantic relationship satisfaction in Turkish emerging adults. The study sample consisted of 452 (248 females and 204 males) emerging adults involved in a romantic relationship and attending university, 18-25 years old. The participants completed the measures of the suppression sub-dimension of emotion regulation, romantic relationship satisfaction, and loneliness, as well as a demographic survey. Firstly, the findings demonstrated that romantic relationship satisfaction mediated the relationship between the suppression of both positive and negative emotions and loneliness, regardless of gender. Secondly, the findings reported that gender moderated the mediating role of romantic relationship satisfaction in the relationship between suppression of negative emotions and loneliness. More specifically, suppression of negative emotions significantly put female emerging adults at increased risk of poor romantic relationship satisfaction and, consequently, loneliness in comparison with males.

The impact of a personality trait rooted in Chinese confucian culture-Junzi personality-on loneliness and subjective well-being among chinese individuals: the mediating role of self-reflection and self-control

Reducing loneliness and enhancing subjective well-being are key topics in psychological research. However, few studies have explored the impact of cultural factors on loneliness and subjective well-being from a cultural perspective. Moreover, there has been few research examining the underlying mechanisms through which sociocultural factors influence individual loneliness and well-being. This study aims to explore the influence of a personality trait rooted in Chinese Confucian culture-Junzi personality-on subjective well-being among Chinese, specifically examining the mediating roles of self-reflection and self-control. A sample of 693 Chinese college students were surveyed on their Junzi personality, self-reflection, self-control, loneliness, and subjective well-being in three stages over 6 months. Correlation analysis and a multiple mediation model were conducted using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. Results revealed that Junzi personality positively predicted subjective well-being and negatively predicted loneliness. Additionally, self-reflection, self-control, and loneliness sequentially mediated the effect of Junzi personality on subjective well-being. This study highlights the significant role of cognitive factors in the process through which sociocultural factors influence well-being.

How does loneliness affect satisfaction with life? What is the role of the perception of God in this interaction?

Introduction

This study examined the role of loneliness and the perception of God in affecting the satisfaction with life of Muslim individuals living alone in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the study explored the regulatory role of the perception of God in the relationship between individuals' loneliness and satisfaction with life.

Methods

The research is a cross-sectional study that evaluates individuals' loneliness, satisfaction with life, and perception of God. The study group consists of 378 individuals living alone in Turkey. Among the participants, 196 are women (51.9%) and 182 are men (48.1%). The UCLA loneliness scale, the satisfaction with life scale, the perception of God scale, and a personal information form were used as data collection tools in the study.

Results

The examination of research findings indicated that the variables of loneliness, perception of God, and the interaction between loneliness and the perception of God explained 28% of the variance in individuals' satisfaction with life. We determined that satisfaction with life was affected significantly and positively by the perception of God (β = 0.28, p < 0.001) and significantly and negatively by loneliness (β = -0.38, p < 0.001). The interactional effect of the variables of loneliness and perception of God on satisfaction with life was also found to be significant (β = -0.10, p = 0.023). When we examined the details of the regulatory effect, we found that the effect of loneliness on satisfaction with life decreased even more in cases where the perception of God was high.

Discussion

The research findings suggest that loneliness decreases life satisfaction, while positive self-image mitigates this effect. It can be stated that using belief-sensitive therapeutic approaches in the therapeutic process could contribute to alleviating the negative effects of loneliness.

Pathways linking loneliness and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of sleep disturbance

BACKGROUND

Despite growing evidence linking loneliness and depressive symptoms, the underlying pathways remain unclear. This study aims to assess the impact of loneliness on depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and investigate the potential mediating role of sleep disturbance.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2021. Loneliness, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbance were assessed using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire, respectively. Baron and Kenny's causal steps method and the Karlson-Holm-Breen method were applied to explore the mediating role of sleep disturbance. Subgroup analysis by gender was also conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 6838 adolescents were included, with 52.2 % boys and a mean age of 14.5 (SD = 1.6) years. Approximately 15.8 % of the adolescents reported depressive symptoms. Loneliness was positively associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for covariates (OR = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.31-1.36). After incorporating sleep disturbance into the model, the association was still significant (OR = 1.28, 95%CI = 1.25-1.31). Sleep disturbance partially mediated this association, contributing to 18.89 % of the total effects. The associations and mediation effects were consistent across both genders, with no moderating effect of gender observed.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design limits the ability to establish causality.

CONCLUSION

Loneliness was significantly associated with depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents and this association was partially mediated by sleep disturbance. Interventions aimed at reducing loneliness and improving sleep quality may help lower the risk of depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents, regardless of genders. Nevertheless, further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Predicting hostility towards women: incel-related factors in a general sample of men

Hostility towards women is a type of prejudice that can have adverse effects on women and society, but research on predictors of men's hostility towards women is limited. The present study primarily introduced predictors associated with misogynist involuntary celibates (incels), and then investigated whether loneliness, rejection, attractiveness, number of romantic and sexual partners, right-wing authoritarianism, and gaming predicted hostility towards women among a more general sample of men. A total of 473 men (aged 18-35, single, heterosexual, UK residents) recruited via Prolific answered the hostile sexism subscale, the misogyny scale, the self-perceived sexual attractiveness scale, the right-wing authoritarianism scale, the game addiction scale for adolescents, the adult rejection-sensitivity scale, the UCLA loneliness scale, and self-developed questions regarding number of sexual and romantic partners, and time spent gaming. We found a strong positive relationship between right-wing authoritarianism and hostility towards women, as well as a strong convex curvilinear relationship between attractiveness and hostility towards women. The number of sexual partners showed a moderate concave relationship with hostility towards women. We did not find sufficient support for a relationship between gaming and hostility towards women, and there was no support that loneliness, rejection, or romantic partners predicted hostility towards women among a general sample of men. Our study supports right-wing authoritarianism and self-perceived attractiveness as potential strong predictors in understanding men's hostility towards women in the wider community. Pre-registration: https://osf.io/ms3a4.

Intimate Partner Violence Among Brazilian Trans and Cisgender Women Living with HIV or at HIV Risk During COVID-19 Era: Another Epidemic?

Purpose

Our study was conducted to estimate intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence and associated factors among trans and cisgender women at risk of or living with HIV during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and August 2020 through telephone surveys with cisgender and trans women enrolled in two cohort studies in Rio de Janeiro. We assessed IPV employing the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale during the initial months of shelter-in-place ordinances. Regression models evaluated the factors associated with IPV for each population.

Results

We surveyed 796 women, and 341 participants (47.78%) were eligible and included in the current analysis. All cisgender women and 41 (64.06%) trans women were living with HIV. Overall IPV prevalence was 27.86% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 23.34-32.88). IPV was 63% higher among trans women than among cisgender women (prevalence ratio 1.63, 95% CI 1.14-2.34, p=0.008). Loneliness was significantly associated with IPV in both groups. Younger age and binge drinking were associated with IPV prevalence among trans women. For cisgender women, IPV was associated with withdrawal of cash transfer programs during the shelter-in-place.

Conclusion

Trans women experienced significantly more IPV than cisgender women in the early phase of the COVID-19 epidemic. Plans to prevent and address violence against cisgender and trans women, especially those with heightened vulnerability that may be associated with living with HIV, are needed in public health planning for future pandemics.

Shared and individual tuning curves for social vision

A stimulus with light is clearly visual; a stimulus with sound is clearly auditory. But what makes a stimulus "social", and how do judgments of socialness differ across people? Here, we characterize both group-level and individual thresholds for perceiving the presence and nature of a social interaction. We take advantage of the fact that humans are primed to see social interactions-e.g., chasing, playing, fighting-even in very un-lifelike stimuli such as animations of geometric shapes. Unlike prior work using these stimuli, we exploit their most advantageous property, which is that their visual features are fully parameterizable. We use this property to construct psychophysics-inspired "social tuning curves" for individual subjects. Social tuning curves are stable within individuals, unique across individuals, and show some relationship to socio-affective traits. Results support the view that social information processing begins early in the perceptual hierarchy. Further, our approach lays the foundation for a generative account of social perception in single subjects.

The association of financial resources and loneliness among older adults during a state of emergency

This study focuses on the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020 in the United States to assess how liquidity constraints were related to loneliness among older adults. Data are from the COVID Impact Survey, which was used to collect data in April, May and June 2020 across the U.S. (n = 5,664). We use means comparison tests and linear regressions and find that emergency savings, rather than household income, predict loneliness among older adults during the initial COVID-19 wave. Emergency savings, especially enough to avoid using credit cards, was most predictive of older adult loneliness levels. Income and access to emergency savings did not influence the relationship between actions taken and personal plans changed as a result of COVID-19. Easing lockdown restrictions was unrelated to the relationship between loneliness and liquidity constraints, actions taken and personal plans changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest that, in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness associated with the actions taken to avoid COVID-19 and personal plans changed was experienced across all socio-economic groups of older adults in this sample in similar ways, regardless of income levels and wealth. In addition, a better understanding of loneliness in older age during the COVID-19 pandemic may require a fuller analysis of households' financial situation beyond income, and points to the central role of credit card debt for loneliness in older age.

Psychometric analysis of the three item loneliness scale in the Czech Republic

BACKGROUND

There is a growing importance of loneliness measurement through valid and reliable instruments. However, to establish valid and reliable measures, there is a need to explore their psychometric properties in different research settings and language environments. For this reason, this study aimed to validate the Three Item Loneliness Scale (TILS) in the Czech Republic within a Slavonic language environment.

METHODS

A sample of Czech adults (n = 3236) was used consisting primarily of university students. We utilized Classical Test Theory to assess TILS internal consistency, temporal stability, and factor structure. Item Response Theory (IRT) was used to estimate Differential Item Functioning (DIF), the discrimination and difficulty of the TILS items and to estimate the measurement precision of the whole scale. Construct validity was explored through the Spearman correlation coefficient using personality traits, depression, and anxiety.

RESULTS

The results showed satisfactory reliability and validity of the TILS in the Czech Republic. The scale's internal consistency and temporal stability were found to be satisfactory (Cronbach's α = 0.81, McDonald's ω = 0.82, ICC = 0.71). The parallel analysis supported the unidimensionality of the TILS. The IRT results indicated that the highest measurement precision was reached in individuals with lower and above-average levels of loneliness. Significant correlations between the TILS scores, anxiety, depression, and personality traits supported the construct validity of the scale. Although the DIF analysis identified statistically significant differences in responses to items TILS_2 and TILS_3 based on education level and employment status (with no significant differences observed for TILS_1), the effect sizes of these differences were small. This indicates that, despite statistical significance, the practical impact on the scale's validity across these groups is minimal.

CONCLUSIONS

The validated TILS provides a reliable and valid tool for assessing loneliness in the Czech Republic. Its brevity makes it a practical option for researchers and clinicians seeking to measure loneliness time-efficiently. Future studies should explore how adding new items could increase the measurement precision of the TILS.

Socioeconomic status and internet addiction: double-mediated moderation

BACKGROUND

Internet addiction is typically linked with a variety of psychological and behavioral problems, the prevalence of Internet addiction among Chinese college students was higher than that of the general population.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to test the mediating and moderating effects of socioeconomic status (SES), loneliness, alienation and grade on Internet addiction among Chinese college students.

METHODS

Total of 496 college students were studied, partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted to analyze the obtained data.

RESULTS

The study found that SES can negatively predict Internet addiction (β=-0.145, p < 0.001). Moreover, loneliness and alienation play separate (β=-0.098, p < 0.001; β=-0.046, p < 0.01) and serial (β=-0.071, p < 0.001) mediating roles between SES and Internet addiction, and multigroup analysis showed that grade (sophomore year as the baseline) plays a moderation role in the association between SES → Internet addiction (sophomores vs. juniors; β = 0.249, p < 0.05) and SES →loneliness (sophomore vs. seniors; β = 0.255, p < 0.05). The VAF value was 70.27% for the mediation effect of the loneliness and alienation in the relationship between SES and Internet addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

SES not only has a direct effect on college students' Internet addiction behavior but also has an indirect effect on it through the chain mediation effect of loneliness and alienation. The study reveals that grade level moderates the effects, suggesting tailored interventions are needed. This research could inform measures to mitigate addiction by addressing SES, loneliness, and alienation.

Loneliness and socioemotional memory

Do chronically high-lonely individuals exhibit specific memory biases when recalling past social episodes? We explored negative memory biases, focusing on the recall of unfavourable social experiences and social memory biases, emphasizing the recall of social experiences irrespective of emotional valence. We conducted a dictionary-based semantic analysis of autobiographical episodes obtained from 4095 participants via four datasets. Participants recalled a positive, negative or emotionally neutral episode from their recent past. High-lonely individuals predominantly exhibited a decline in recalling positive social episodes, providing partial support for negative memory biases. However, both high- and low-lonely individuals were similarly inclined to recall negative social episodes. These results suggest that the primary issue among high-lonely individuals is the limited recall of positive social experiences rather than the general negativity in memory biases or the hypersensitivity to general social memories.

Exploring the Experience of Loneliness among People Living with Schizophrenia: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

People living with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder are at heightened risk for experiencing loneliness, which is associated with negative health, quality of life, and symptom-specific outcomes.

AIMS

This study aimed to better understand the experience of loneliness among adults living with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

METHODS

Using a semi-structured interview guide, researchers interviewed twelve participants living with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Interview topics included the contexts of loneliness, hopes related to living a life less impacted by loneliness, and coping strategies. Researchers used conventional content analysis to analyze interview data and generate themes.

RESULTS

The research team identified four themes from the interview data: emotional disconnection, social anxiety leading to loneliness, unmet needs within social networks, and lacking companionship. Participants had a variety of hopes for the future, including increasing the quality of their relationships and improving their sense of self-efficacy. Participants described a variety of coping strategies, ranging from individual (e.g. leveraging technology, using cognitive reframing techniques) to systems-level (e.g. local clubhouses and walkable neighborhoods).

CONCLUSIONS

Participants have identified several priorities and coping strategies to reduce loneliness that can be integrated with current models of loneliness to develop interventions that are meaningful and effective for this population.

The moderating role of mindfulness in the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms

Loneliness has been recognized as a pressing global health threat. Research shows that loneliness is associated with depressive symptoms, but less is known about what factors might influence this relationship. This study tested the hypothesis that mindfulness would buffer the association between loneliness and depressive symptoms. A total of 220 Chinese adults completed validated measures of loneliness, mindfulness, and depressive symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression and moderator analyses were conducted. Mindfulness was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = -.485, p  < .001) after controlling for demographic variables and loneliness. Furthermore, mindfulness was a statistically significant moderator. Loneliness was more strongly associated with depressive symptoms when the levels of mindfulness were low. Mindfulness buffered the association between loneliness and depressive symptoms. Encouraging mindfulness practices might offer community-wide benefits from a public health perspective. While some studies showed that mindfulness could reduce loneliness, future studies should further evaluate whether mindfulness-based programs could also prevent the mental health consequences of loneliness.

Combating the mental health challenge of loneliness among urban youth: could finding meaning in life and experiencing thriving enhance their well-being?

OBJECTIVE

Loneliness is a growing mental health challenge among youth specially who are residing in urban areas. Factors that might help them combat loneliness need to be investigated. This study investigates the impact of meaning in life on loneliness, thriving, and well-being.

METHOD

A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 328 urban youth aged 18-30 via an online survey. The survey included scales to measure presence of meaning, search for meaning, loneliness, thriving, and social, psychological, and emotional well-being. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the relationships between these variables.

RESULTS

Presence of meaning was significantly positively associated with loneliness and thriving. While search for meaning had no association with loneliness but was significantly positively associated with thriving. Loneliness was significantly negatively associated with social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Thriving was significantly positively associated with social, emotional, and psychological well-being.

DISCUSSION

The findings suggest that cultivating a sense of meaning in life is crucial for reducing loneliness and promoting well-being among urban youth. Educational institutions and mental health agencies should develop programs that help individuals find and pursue meaningful activities to foster thriving. Future research should explore these dynamics in various cultural contexts and utilize longitudinal designs to confirm causality.

Comparison of subjective self-reported hearing and objective speech-in-noise perception as predictors of social isolation and loneliness in adults 60 years and older

OBJECTIVE

Hearing decline in ageing increases the risk of loneliness and social isolation. This correlation is most often observed when hearing is measured by subjective self-report, and less often for objectively measured speech listening ability, raising questions about differences between self-assessments and behavioural performance. This study compared self-reported hearing ability and objective speech-in-noise performance as predictors of loneliness and social isolation in adults older than 60.

DESIGN

This was an observational, cross-sectional online study. Participants were instructed to complete a speech-in-noise task to measure objective listening ability, as well as four questionnaires that measured subjective self-rated hearing, feelings of loneliness, perceived social support, and depression and anxiety.

STUDY SAMPLE

One-hundred fifteen individuals aged above 60 with no treated hearing loss.

RESULTS

No correlation was found between loneliness scores and subjective self-rated hearing or objective speech-in-noise perception after adjusting demographic variables and overall psychological distress (anxiety and depression). However, self-rated hearing was positively correlated with social support when anxiety/depression scores were low. When anxiety/depression scores were high, this relationship was attenuated. Objective speech-in-noise perception did not correlate with perceived social support.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-rated hearing ability positively predicts ratings of social support in older adults with low levels of psychological distress.

Feasibility and Acceptance of a Remotely Supervised Home-Based Group Mobility Exercise for Older Adults Using a Mobile Robotic Telepresence: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

 Mobile robotic telepresence could be used to remotely supervise physical activity programs. Our study aims to explore the feasibility, acceptance, and usability of a physical activity program offered synchronously via a mobile robotic telepresence platform.

METHODS

 For this interventional study, five Cutii robots were made available in two residences for older adults in Quebec. Participants received the exercise program, two sessions per week for 4-6 weeks, delivered remotely via the robot. The following feasibility indicators were collected during the study, as recommended by Thabane et al.: process, resources, management, and intervention. Acceptance and usability of the technology were measured using the extended version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology-based questionnaire and the System Usability Scale, respectively.

RESULTS

 Eighty percent of participants completed the protocol, and 58% of participants attended 80% of the sessions. Various technical problems (internet connection and technology issues) limited the usability and acceptance of the technology.

CONCLUSION

 The results revealed that the program was feasible according to the process, management, and intervention indicators but unsatisfactory in terms of resources. For some participants, minor modifications were needed to improve technology support and facilitate connection to the mobile robotic telepresence. Further studies will need to focus on the evaluation of the effectiveness of this type of intervention.

IMPLICATIONS

These results emphasize the importance of continuing research evaluating the opportunities provided by new technologies to enhance older adults' engagement in physical activity and inform clinicians and policymakers to improve future services in this domain.

Social anxiety, loneliness, and mobile phone addiction among nursing students: latent profile and moderated mediation analyses

BACKGROUND

The overutilization of mobile devices by nursing students has been found to adversely affect their physical and cognitive health, potentially impeding the cultivation of a proficient nursing workforce. Previous research has identified social anxiety and loneliness as influential contributors to mobile phone addiction, but the relationship between these three factors has not been extensively examined. The objective of this research was to investigate the role of loneliness in mediating the relationship between social anxiety and mobile phone addiction, as well as the moderating influence of sleep duration on the relationship between social anxiety, loneliness, and mobile phone addiction among nursing students.

METHODS

We enrolled 437 students from the Be Resilient to Nursing Career program (BRNC) between October and December 2023. Surveys were employed to evaluate the levels of social anxiety, loneliness, and mobile phone addiction among nursing students. Three types of analyses were performed: latent profile analysis, mediation analysis, and moderation analysis.

RESULTS

The following three profiles of social anxiety were identified: low social anxiety (23.8%), middle social anxiety (42.8%), and high social anxiety (33.4%). The significant mediating effect of loneliness in the relationship between social anxiety based on latent profile analysis and mobile phone addiction was observed (SE = 0.709, 95%CI = 1.821, 4.618; SE = 0.561, 95%CI = 1.161, 3.345, respectively). The moderating role of sleep duration between social anxiety, loneliness, and mobile phone addiction was not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Heterogeneity exists in social anxiety among nursing students. Loneliness serves as a significant mediating factor between social anxiety and mobile phone addiction. The moderating influence of sleep duration should be validated in future research.

Measures of social connectedness in adult populations: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Poor social connectedness has been identified as a risk factor for poor mental health but there is a lack of standardisation in how it is measured. This systematic review aimed to identify suitable measures of social connectedness for use in UK adult general populations.

METHODS

Searches were undertaken in two stages to identify: (1) measures of social connectedness from review articles and grey literature and (2) studies reporting on the psychometric properties of the identified measures. Grey literature and five databases were searched: MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO; CINAHL and Web of Science. Studies based on UK adult general populations (16-65 years) or other English language speaking countries with similar cultures (US, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) were included. Psychometric evidence was extracted relating to six general domains: conceptual model, content validity, reliability, construct validity, scoring and interpretability, and respondent burden and presentation. A narrative synthesis summarised these psychometric properties.

RESULTS

Stage (1) 2,396 studies were retrieved and, 24 possible measures of social connectedness were identified; stage (2) 6,218 studies were identified reporting on psychometrics of identified measures and 22 studies were included. These studies provided psychometric evidence for 10 measures, and we did not find psychometric studies for the other identified measures. Six measures (6/10, 60%) reported assessing loneliness and four (4/10, 40%) reported assessing social support but there was a degree of overlap between the assessments of each concept. There was good evidence of reliability across measures, 90% (9/10) had adequate internal consistency, but evidence of content validity was only available for one scale. Five measures (5/10, 50%) reported on at least half of the psychometric criteria, and these were: UCLA-3 (for loneliness), and MSPSS, F-SozU K-6, SPS-10 and SPS-5 (for social support).

CONCLUSIONS

This review identified ten social connectedness measures, and identified UCLA-3, MSPSS, F-SozUK-6, SPS-10, and SPS-5 as having the most robust psychometric properties for the UK adult population. Further testing is required to establish content validity, and to clarify the definition and conceptualisation of social connectedness, to enable standardisation in the approach to measuring social connectedness.

Research on the relationship between virtual social interaction and the degree of loneliness based on algorithm matching technologies: A quantitative analysis on the SOUL APP-A virtual social software for strangers

This study examines the relationship between virtual social interaction and people's social behaviors and psychology using algorithm matching technologies and questionnaire surveys. The focus is on interpersonal communication on virtual social platforms. The findings indicate that engaging in virtual social networking is often accompanied by a high level of loneliness. Users who experience social anxiety in the real world tend to feel more lonely, and this loneliness is exacerbated by presenting an unreal version of oneself and having distrust in virtual social networking. Users with higher anxiety and loneliness levels are more likely to use the algorithm matching function of virtual social networking, engage in false self-presentation, and have less trust in the platform. Since the inherent flaws of virtual social networking cannot be eliminated solely through algorithm matching, a potential solution is to introduce more offline to online social functions for strangers. This exploration of actual matching on social platforms may help reduce users' loneliness.

Effect of hearing intervention on communicative function: A secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) Study was designed to determine the effects of a best-practice hearing intervention on cognitive decline among community-dwelling older adults. Here, we conducted a secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE Study to investigate the effect of hearing intervention on self-reported communicative function.

METHODS

The ACHIEVE Study is a parallel-group, unmasked, randomized controlled trial of adults aged 70-84 years with untreated mild-to-moderate hearing loss and without substantial cognitive impairment. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to a hearing intervention (audiological counseling and provision of hearing aids) or a control intervention of health education (individual sessions with a health educator covering topics on chronic disease prevention) and followed semiannually for 3 years. Self-reported communicative function was measured with the Hearing Handicap Inventory-Elderly Screening version (HHIE-S, range 0-40, higher scores indicate greater impairment). Effect of hearing intervention versus control on HHIE-S was analyzed through an intention-to-treat model controlling for known covariates.

RESULTS

HHIE-S improved after 6-months with hearing intervention compared to control, and continued to be better through 3-year follow-up. We estimated a difference of -8.9 (95% CI: -10.4, -7.5) points between intervention and control groups in change in HHIE-S score from baseline to 6 months, -9.3 (95% CI: -10.8, -7.9) to Year 1, -8.4 (95% CI: -9.8, -6.9) to Year 2, and - 9.5 (95% CI: -11.0, -8.0) to Year 3. Other prespecified sensitivity analyses that varied analytical parameters did not change the observed results.

CONCLUSIONS

Hearing intervention improved self-reported communicative function compared to a control intervention within 6 months and with effects sustained through 3 years. These findings suggest that clinical recommendations for older adults with hearing loss should encourage hearing intervention that could benefit communicative function and potentially have positive downstream effects on other aspects of health.

The Assessment of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Cancer Patients and Survivors in the Pre-COVID-19 Period: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

In the context of cancer research, identifying social isolation and loneliness is a priority given how both exacerbate poor outcomes and lead to increased mortality in oncological populations. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify all quantitative instruments that have been used to assess either social isolation or loneliness in patients previously or currently diagnosed with cancer in the pre-COVID-19 period.

METHOD

PubMed (Web), Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched on August 22, 2019. All databases were searched from inception with no filters applied. The search strategies included terms that captured the following concepts: instruments/tools, social isolation or loneliness, and cancer.

RESULTS

A total of 289 titles/abstracts were returned. Upon review, 114 titles/abstracts were deemed to be potentially eligible and the full text was retrieved. Of the 114 full texts, 69 articles met inclusion criteria and comprised the final sample. Publications span years 1980 through 2019, with the majority (71%) occurring in the last decade prior to this review, between 2009 and 2019. Average age of the study samples, with few exceptions, was often over 50 years old. Many studies used all-female samples, while only one study used an all-male sample. The most common cancer diagnosis of participants was breast cancer. The most common measure was the UCLA Loneliness Scale, used in 22 studies. Most measures we identified were used only once, and 11 measures were used 2-3 times. When the information was given, response ranges were always Likert-type scales most often ranging from 1-4 or 1-5, and sometimes from 1-10 possible response options. In terms of psychometrics, test-retest reliability and validity were rarely reported; by contrast, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was reported more than half of the time (60.9%).

CONCLUSION

When selecting a measure to assess loneliness in cancer populations, the UCLA Loneliness Scale is both psychometrically strong and versatile across patients with different cancers, ages, and racial backgrounds. When selecting a measure to assess social isolation in cancer populations, both the PROMIS-SF V 2.0 social isolation and the Berkman-Syme Network Index are brief and have been used in patients with non-White racial backgrounds.

A social information processing perspective on social connectedness

Social connectedness (SC) is one of the most important predictors for physical and mental health. Consequently, SC is addressed in an increasing number of studies, providing evidence for the multidimensionality of the construct, and revealing several factors that contribute to individual differences in SC. However, a unified model that can address SC subcomponents is yet missing. Here we take a novel perspective and discuss whether individual differences in SC can be explained by a person's social information processing profile that represents individual tendencies of how social information is perceived and interpreted and leads to motivated social behavior. After summarizing the current knowledge on SC and core findings from the fields of social perception and mentalizing, social motivation and social action, we derive a working model that links individual stages of social information processing to structural, functional, and qualitative aspects of SC. This model allows for deriving testable hypotheses on the foundations of SC and we outline several suggestions how these aspects can be addressed by future research.