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PubMed2006

Breaking the cycle of loneliness? Psychological effects of a friendship enrichment program for older women.

The present study examines effects of participation in the friendship enrichment program, an intervention that is designed to stimulate improvement in friendship, self-esteem and subjective well-being, as well as reduction in loneliness among older women. The intervention group was compared to a control group of women who were interested in the program or in improving their friendships. All respondents had been studied at three points in time: at a baseline, prior to the program; three months later, and 9-10 months after baseline. The results indicate that the program was successful in attracting lonely older women who were willing to work on their friendships. Many participants reported improvement in the quantity and quality of their friendships. The program was moderately successful in stimulating improvement in subjective well-being and awareness of the need for an active stance toward achieving goals in social relations, especially in friendship. Loneliness among the participants was reduced, but it also declined in the control group, and both groups continued to experience loneliness. One conclusion is that an effective intervention to help older women reduce their loneliness should be multi-dimensional focusing not only on friendship but also on other personal and situational factors contributing to loneliness.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Loneliness, self-disclosure, and ICQ ("I seek you") use.

This study investigated the relationships between self-disclosure in ICQ ("I seek you") chat, level of loneliness, and ICQ usage. The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Revised Self-Disclosure Scale (RSDS) were administered to a multistaged stratified random sample of 576 college students. The results indicate that loneliness is not related to level of ICQ use, but inversely related to valence, accuracy, and the amount dimensions of self-disclosure in ICQ chat, and that ICQ usage is significantly related to control of depth and intent of disclosure. Specifically, it was found that the lonelier the student, the more dishonest, more negative, and the less revealing was the quality of the self-disclosure in their ICQ interaction. Conversely, appropriate, honest, positive, and accurate self-disclosure might lead to decreased loneliness when one feels understood, accepted, and cared about on ICQ. More important, as intimate relationships are based on high degrees of depth and intent of self-disclosure, heavy users of ICQ are usually open, personal, and consciously aware of what they are disclosing.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Loneliness among the never and formerly married: the importance of supportive friendships and a desire for independence.

Loneliness is an experience that is commonly associated with being old and without a partner. Results from a Dutch sample involving 131 unpartnered men and women between the ages of 65 and 75 indicate that the absence of friendship support rather than being single is an important determinant of loneliness. In accordance with the theory of mental incongruity, relationship standards and perceived opportunities of improving relationships are also shown to be significantly associated with loneliness. Older men and women without a partner are most vulnerable to loneliness when they have a high partner standard or a low singlehood standard, and see few opportunities to change their situation (for example, as a result of experienced health restrictions). A better understanding of loneliness is obtained if not only the quality of relationships is considered, but also the degree of congruity between relationships and relationship standards, and the favorability of perceived opportunities for bringing about improvements.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Chronicity and instability of children's peer victimization experiences as predictors of loneliness and social satisfaction trajectories.

The present investigation was conducted to predict children's loneliness and social satisfaction growth curves from changes in their peer victimization status. Toward this aim, 388 children (193 boys, 195 girls) were interviewed at five points: as children entered kindergarten (in the fall) and spring of kindergarten through third grade. At each assessment, data were gathered on the frequency of children's peer victimization and degree of loneliness and social satisfaction. Groups were formed on the basis of timing and duration of children's victimization status. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to test several hypotheses regarding the nature of victimized children's growth curves. For instance, consistent with the Onset Hypothesis, the trajectories that emerged for children who moved from nonvictim to victim classification showed increasing levels of loneliness and decreasing social satisfaction. In contrast, findings for the Cessation Hypothesis were mixed, which suggests that children moving from victim to nonvictim status do not necessarily evidence significant improvements in loneliness or social satisfaction. The somewhat disparate trajectories that emerged for loneliness and social satisfaction are discussed.

Child↗

PubMed2004

The importance of activities of daily living and social contact for loneliness: a survey among residents in nursing homes.

The aim of this study was to examine associations between functional ability to perform basic activities of daily living (ADL) functions (feeding, continence, going to the toilet, transferring from bed to chair, dressing and bathing), social contacts with family and friends/neighbours and emotional and social loneliness. A quantitative research approach, using a survey design, was performed. The sample comprised 113 subjects aged 65-101 years, living in nursing homes. Data were gathered through structured interviews by using the following measures: the modified Katz Index of ADL, the Revised Social Provisions Scale (SPS), and Family and Friendship Contacts Scale. Descriptive statistics, factor analyses, multiple correlation analyses and multiple regression analyses were used. Data showed a statistically significant relationship between dependence on the environment in carrying out ADL and low level of social loneliness. Likewise, high frequencies of social contact with sons, daughters and grandchildren had a statistically significant effect on low level of social loneliness. A confirmatory factor analysis (varimax rotation, eigenvalue 1.0) was employed to explore the two predefined dimensions (attachment and social integration) of the SPS. The results confirmed, to a very high degree, the two dimensions of the Weiss Model. Reliability (internal consistency), measured by Cronbach alpha, was 0.85 and 0.92, for attachment and social integration respectively. Based on this analysis, dependence in ADL function is important for a low level of social loneliness. From the present study it is concluded that ADL (feeding, continence, going to the toilet, transferring from bed to chair, dressing and bathing) and contact with a social network have a statistical effect on a low level of social loneliness. Hence, such associations may be of significance in nursing intervention and may influence the well-being of residents in nursing homes in different stages of life.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1989

Some aspects of loneliness in families.

Although awareness of the harmful effects of loneliness has increased in recent years, lonely persons continue to be viewed as family outsiders or nonfamily. Beginning with the general-systems concept of loneliness as having a healthy, adaptive function in families, this article explores the family context of different degrees of loneliness. It assumes that prolonged loneliness (in addition to its meaning for the individual system) is a manifestation of certain kinds of family processes. Five such processes involved in the prolonging of loneliness are suggested: unresolved grief, pathological certainty, synchronicity, family expansion, and parental abdication.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Friends and pets as companions: strategies for coping with loneliness among homeless youth.

PROBLEMS: Loneliness and negative health outcomes associated with being homeless and living on the streets. METHODS: Qualitative data from 32 homeless youth, ages 16 to 23 years, who participated in focus groups, and a subsample of 10 youth, ages 15 to 23 years, who participated in individual interviews, were analyzed using manifest and content analysis, techniques. FINDINGS: Homeless adolescents who live on the streets or in "squats" described feelings of loneliness that they say "go with the territory." Three themes emerged from the data: how lonely subjects felt, circumstances that provoked feelings of loneliness, and ways of coping with loneliness. Thirteen identified their pets as companions that provided unconditional love, reduced feelings of loneliness, and improved their health status. CONCLUSIONS: Vulnerable adolescents who are homeless often recognize the therapeutic value of pets. Interventions that enhance this coping strategy need to be developed and tested.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1992

Subjective loneliness--a comparison between elderly and relatives.

The survey was aimed at examining the differences between the elderly's subjectively experienced loneliness and relatives' appraisal of the situation. The interviews contained structured questions about relatives' knowledge of the elderly's loneliness and their social contacts with the elderly. In total, 178 relatives took part in the interviews. The Cognitive-impaired group included 66 pairs elderly/relatives, where the elderly persons were cognitively impaired, and the Cognitive-intact group 112 pairs, where the elderly persons had normal cognitive function. There were differences between relatives' appraisal of loneliness and the elderly's own experience. The elderly with cognitive deficits seemed to feel loneliness more often than persons with intact cognitive ability. Relatives tended to overestimate the elderly's loneliness, especially among persons with cognitive difficulties. These elderly more often had short frequent visits, while persons in the Cognitive-intact group had longer, but not so frequent visits.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

On the outside looking in: loneliness and social monitoring.

The skill-deficit view of loneliness posits that unskilled social interactions block lonely individuals from social inclusion. The current studies examine loneliness in relation to social attention and perception processes thought to be important for socially skilled behavior. Two studies investigate the association between social monitoring (attention to social information and cues) and self-reported loneliness and number of close social ties. In Study 1, higher levels of loneliness are related to increased rather than decreased incidental social memory. In Study 2, individuals with fewer reported friends show heightened decoding of social cues in faces and voices. Results of these studies suggest that the attentional and perceptual building blocks of socially skilled behavior remain intact, and perhaps enhanced, in lonely individuals. Implications for recent models of belonging regulation and theories of loneliness are discussed.

Affect↗

PubMed1989

Human-pet interaction and loneliness: a test of concepts from Roy's adaptation model.

This research used two key concepts from Roy's adaptation model of nursing to examine the relationship between human-pet interaction and loneliness in nursing home residents. These concepts included (a) environmental stimuli as factors influencing adaptation and (b) interdependence as a mode of response to the environment. The hypothesis of this study asserted that the residents of a nursing home who had greater levels of interaction with a pet program would experience less loneliness than those who had lower levels of interaction with a pet. The study used an ex post facto nonexperimental design with 65 subjects. The simplified version of the revised UCLA loneliness scale was used to measure loneliness. Reported level of human-pet interaction was measured according to a four-point scale (1 = no interaction, 4 = quite a lot of interaction). The hypothesis was supported at the p less than 0.03 level of significance. Implications for practice through organizing pet programs in situations where loneliness exists are discussed. Recommendations for future research include replicating the study using a larger sample and developing a comprehensive human-pet interaction tool.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1999

Social network, social support, and loneliness in older persons with different chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines whether patterns of social network size, functional social support, and loneliness are different for older persons with different types of chronic diseases. METHODS: In a community-based sample of 2,788 men and women age 55 to 85 years participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, chronic diseases status, social network size, support exchanges, and loneliness were assessed. RESULTS: Social network size and emotional support exchanges were not associated with disease status. The only differences between healthy and chronically ill people were found for receipt of instrumental support and loneliness. Disease characteristics played a differential role: greater feelings of loneliness were mainly found for persons with lung disease or arthritis, and receiving more instrumental support was mainly found for persons with arthritis or stroke. DISCUSSION: The specifics of a disease appear to play a (small) role in the receipt of instrumental support and feelings of loneliness of chronically ill older persons.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Social support and positive health practices in young adults. Loneliness as a mediating variable.

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which loneliness mediates the relationship between perceived social support and positive health practices of young adults, ages 22 to 34, by testing a mediational model of relationships in a three-variable system developed through theory and previous research. Data were collected from 70 young adults who were attending classes in a large urban university. They responded to the PRQ85-Part II, the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Lifestyle Questionnaire, and a demographic data sheet. Statistically significant correlations were found between perceived social support and positive health practices, perceived social support and loneliness, and loneliness and positive health practices. A series of regression analyses designed to test for mediation were performed. The results indicated that loneliness is a dominant mediator in the relationship between perceived social support and positive health practice. Implications for practices are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Spirituality, depression, and loneliness among Jewish seniors residing in New York City.

This article reports the results of research that examined a randomized group of 118 Jewish seniors who were clients of one of three Jewish social service agencies in New York City. They were interviewed by four Clinical Pastoral Education residents at the Jewish Institute for Pastoral Care. During the interview, participants were asked to respond to the questions contained in the Brief Depression Scale, Version 3 of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Index of Core Spiritual Experience--INSPIRIT. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the depression and loneliness scores, r(116) = .56, p < .001. Spirituality was not correlated with either of these scales. Both depression and loneliness were significantly higher among women, among people who had physical impairments and those who had been victims of Nazi persecution. Depression and loneliness were inversely related to participants' ability to venture out of their house and to their relationship with their families. Having a sense of meaning or purpose in life was also inversely related to depression and loneliness. Spirituality tended to be higher among women, those participants, with more years of religious education, and those with physical impairments, but only the gender effect was statistically significant.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of a psychosocial group intervention on loneliness and social support for Japanese women with primary breast cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of a psychosocial group intervention on loneliness and social support in Japanese women with breast cancer. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: A breast cancer outpatient area of a National Cancer Center hospital in Japan. SAMPLE: 50 women who were less than 65 years old, were diagnosed with primary breast cancer, and had undergone surgery within 4-18 months of the start of the study. METHODS: Data were collected as part of a trial of an intervention. The investigators conducted a six-week group intervention consisting of health education, coping skills training, stress management, and psychological support. Subjects completed the revised University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale and a social support questionnaire at baseline, six weeks, and six months. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Loneliness, number of confidants, satisfaction with confidants, and satisfaction with mutual aid. FINDINGS: Fifty (33%) of the 151 invited patients participated and were randomized to either experimental (n = 25) or control (n = 25) groups, and 23 (92%) in each group completed the study. The experimental group had significantly lower scores than the control group for loneliness and significantly higher scores for the number of confidants, satisfaction with confidants, and satisfaction with mutual aid over the six-month study period. CONCLUSIONS: This intervention is beneficial for Japanese patients with breast cancer experiencing loneliness and inadequate social support. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The program can be used as an effective support for Japanese patients with cancer to manage their psychosocial concerns associated with illness.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed1978

Developing a measure of loneliness.

Research on loneliness has been hindered by the lack of a simple and reliable assessment technique. The development of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, a short, 20-item general measure of loneliness is reported. The measure has high internal consistency (coefficient alpha = .96) and a test-retest correlation over a two-month period of .73. Concurrent and preliminary construct validity are indicated by correlations with self-reports of current loneliness and related emotional states, and by volunteering for a "loneliness clinic."

Female↗

PubMed2005

The experience of loneliness of battered old women.

The present article is part of a larger study examining the life stories of battered old women (Buchbinder & Winterstein, 2003; Winterstein, 2002). It is based on long in-depth interviews with twenty-one aging women who lived with violence for a significant portion of their lives. While the larger study examines a broad range of their experience, including loneliness, regret, expectations of the future, and an attempt to build a monument to their suffering, the present study focuses on loneliness, which appears to constitute the central theme of their existential experience. Content analysis of the interviews shows that loneliness is experienced on all ecological levels, including the self, the family of origin, the violent partner, the children, and the extended family. It also permeates the social relationships of the women and becomes the predominant motif of their social interactions. The combination of loneliness, violence, and old age creates suffering that colors everyday life and becomes not only the constant background against which life unfolds but also the governing variable in their experience. Their cognitive maps, emotional world, and overall sense of self, as well as their sense of existential continuity in the world are all affected by loneliness.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Social isolation and loneliness: differences between older rural and urban Manitobans.

The purpose of this paper was to identify predictors of social isolation and loneliness for very old rural and urban adults. With data from the 1996 Aging in Manitoba Study (N = 1,868; age range 72-104), separate multiple regression models were constructed for rural and urban sub-samples, using the life space index (LSI) to measure social isolation as one outcome, and a loneliness index created by the authors from a combination of items to measure loneliness as a second outcome. Different factors were found to predict the outcomes for the two sub-samples. The models with isolation as the outcome produced five predictors for the rural sub-sample and three for the urban sub-sample. Only living alone was the same for both groups. The models with loneliness as the outcome produced five predictors for the rural sub-sample and two for the urban sub-sample, again with only one factor in common--four or more chronic illnesses. We conclude that health and social factors are important predictors of social isolation and loneliness, and sensitivity to these factors may improve the experience of older adults.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

European and Canadian studies of loneliness among seniors.

This article provides a commentary on a set of five other articles reporting European and Canadian studies of loneliness among seniors. It places those works involving Canadian, Dutch, Finnish, and Welsh samples in the larger context of research on loneliness; offers reflections on the methods and findings reported in the articles; and addresses the question, Is loneliness universal? Points of similarity in the articles are identified and possible ways of reconciling discrepant findings regarding age trends and gender differences are put forward. A discrepancy model of loneliness is used as a key framework for explaining several points, including why objective social isolation and loneliness don't always go together.

Aged↗