Loneliness from young adulthood to old age: Explaining age differences in loneliness

Prior research in non-U.S. samples has found a complex nonlinear relationship between loneliness and age. This research has shown that established predictors of loneliness—poor health, being unmarried, living alone, and having infrequent social interactions—help to explain age differences in lonelin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of behavioral development 2022-01, Vol.46 (1), p.39-49
Main Authors: Hawkley, Louise C., Buecker, Susanne, Kaiser, Till, Luhmann, Maike
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Age Differences
Age groups
Employment Level
Ethnicity
Family Structure
Foreign Countries
Gender Differences
Health
Health status
Household size
Individual Characteristics
Intensive care
Intensive treatment
Interpersonal Relationship
Living alone
Loneliness
Low income groups
Marital Status
Predictor Variables
Psychological Patterns
Racial Differences
Religion
Social interaction
Socioeconomic Status
Young adults
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Summary:Prior research in non-U.S. samples has found a complex nonlinear relationship between loneliness and age. This research has shown that established predictors of loneliness—poor health, being unmarried, living alone, and having infrequent social interactions—help to explain age differences in loneliness. However, while some variables were found to be universal predictors of loneliness at all ages, others were relevant in specific age groups only. In this study, we describe age differences in frequency of loneliness from age 18 to 89+ years in the U.S. and examine age differences in predictors of loneliness from age-specificity and age-normative perspectives. We used cross-sectional nationally representative data from the General Social Survey (N = 2,477) and found a nonlinear relationship between age and loneliness that closely resembles prior research. However, we found no evidence for age-specific predictors of loneliness. Household income, household size, marital status, health, and frequency of socializing were “universal” predictors of loneliness; their associations with loneliness did not differ in strength with age. Our hypothesis that individuals who deviated from age-specific norms would experience more intense loneliness was not supported. Implications for research and loneliness interventions are discussed.
ISSN:0165-0254
1464-0651
DOI:10.1177/0165025420971048