BACKGROUND Objective measures of loneliness and poor social contacts are associated with negative health outcomes. However, the influence of subjective loneliness among elderly persons is poorly documented. We hypothesized that loneliness among persons aged 70-90 years is associated with subsequent decline in health, function, and longevity. METHODS Mortality data for subjects aged 70-90 year...

Following predictions from the stress process model, associations between loneliness, emotional support, physical health, and psychological distress were tested in 115 Latinas with breast cancer and their supportive partners. Results showed that loneliness and emotional support were predictive of psychological distress and physical symptoms. Additionally, emotional support minimized the associa...

Loneliness is a significant psychosocial concern for patients with cancer, and depression may be an antecedent to loneliness. To date, no studies have directly addressed the relationship of loneliness, depression, and social support among Turkish patients with cancer and their caregivers. The emotional responses that result from a cancer diagnosis vary and may include anxiety, anger, frustratio...

The development of an adequate assessment instrument is a necessary prerequisite for social psychological research on loneliness. Two studies provide methodological refinement in the measurement of loneliness. Study 1 presents a revised version of the self-report UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale, designed to counter the possible effects of response bias in the origi...

Intimacy defi cits and loneliness recently have been theorized as infl uential factors in the etiology and maintenance of sexually offending behaviors, although to date there has been a lack of empirical research conducted to address this proposition. The present study examined intimacy defi cits, fear of intimacy, and loneliness among intrafamilial child molesters, rapists, nonsexually offendi...

This study examined the relationship of overt and relational victimization to social anxiety, loneliness, and prosocial behaviours in a sample of female adolescents. The Social Experience Questionnaire, Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, and Asher Loneliness Scale were administered to 561 girls in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades of an urban parochial high school. Consistent with prior ...

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To identify situations and thoughts that may precipitate or protect against loneliness experienced by patients with cancer. 
 RESEARCH APPROACH Qualitative. 
 SETTING The hematology/oncology clinic at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, an outpatient oncology center in Indianapolis. 
 PARTICIPANTS Purposive sample of 15 patients undergoing treatm...

Although providing care to a family member or friend may provide psychological benefits, informal (i.e., unpaid) caregivers also encounter difficulties which may negatively affect their quality of life as well as their mental and physical health. Loneliness is one important challenge that caregivers face, with this psychological state being associated with morbidity and premature mortality. Alt...

BACKGROUND This study examined the factors that affect loneliness of older people and their relationship with quality of life. METHODS Data in this cross-sectional study were collected through survey form, UCLA Loneliness Scale and Quality of Life (QOL) Short Form (SF-36) Scale. The total number of elderly people over the age of 65 yr from whom the study population was chosen was 4,170. The s...

Loneliness is currently regarded as one of the most common and prevalent problems experienced by adolescents, and it is also observed as a painful, unpleasant and negative experience. South African adolescents also have to face and cope with this predicament daily. The main objective of this study was to establish the perception of adolescents of different cultures regarding loneliness and mora...