Cacioppo, Grippo, London (2015). Loneliness: clinical import and interventions. Flashcards
loneliness=
a discrepancy between preferred and actual social relationships. this discrepancy then leads to the negative experience of feeling alone and or the distress and dysphoria of feeling socially isolated even when among friends or family
So: feeling alone or lonely does not necessarily mean being alone, nor does being alone necessarily mean feeling alone.
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two types of loneliness
- subjective social isolation (you feel alone with the people around you)
- objective social isolation (there are no people around you)
relatie loneliness and depression
Evidence supports loneliness as a distinct construct. While it increases the risk of depression.
loneliness is characterized by the hope that all would be perfect if only the lonely person could be united with another longed-for person
Loneliness is a pervasive emotion that doesn’t discriminate based on specific demographics.
While it is more likely in populations at risk for social alienation, it can be felt by anyone at any time.
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subjectivity in perception of relationships
the same social relationship can be interpreted differently due to differences in:
- prior experiences
- attributions
- general preferences for social contact
3 dimensions of loneliness
- intimate loneliness (emotional loneliness)
- relational loneliness (social loneliness)
- collective loneliness
intimate loneliness
the perceived absence of a significant someone.
this dimension corresponds to the inner core, which can include up to 5 people (the support clique).
the best protective factor for intimate loneliness is marital status (intimate partners tend to be a primary source of attachment, emotional connection and support)
relational loneliness
This dimension relates to the perceived absence of quality (not quantity) friendships or family connections the “sympathy group” can include 15-50 people.
These are the core social partners whom we see regurlary and from whom we can obtain high-cost instrumental support.
The best protective factor for relational loneliness is the frequency of contact with significant friends and family.
May tend to play a slightly greater role in influencing loneliness in women than in men
collective loneliness=
Refers to a person’s valued social identities or “active network” (group, school, team, or national identity) wherein an individual can connect to similar others at a distance in the collective space.
This corresponds to Dunbar’s outermost social layer and can include 150- 1500 people.
* Weak ties, as well as low-cost support
* The protective factor of collective loneliness found in was the number of voluntary groups to which individuals belonged
* slightly more heavily weighted in men than in women.
correspondence of loneliness dimensions with 3 dimensions of attentional space
- intimate space (the closest space around a person)
- social space (the space in which people feel comfortable interacting with family and acquaintances)
- public space (a more anonymous space)
factors contributing to loneliness
- social isolation
- changes in life circumstances (such as moving to a new place)
- poor social skills
- mental health conditions like depression or anxiety
psychological issues loneliness is associated with
- depressive symptomatology
- alcoholism
- suicidal thoughts
- aggressive behaviors
- social anxiety
- impulsivity
loneliness is a risk factor for…
- cognitive decline
- Alzheimer’s disease progression
- recurrent stroke
- obesity
- increased vascular resistance
- elevated blood pressure
- heightened hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical activity
- decreased sleep salubrity
- diminished immunity
- abnormal ratios of circulating white blood cells
- premature mortality
4 types of loneliness treatments and their effectiveness
- Those that increased opportunities for social contact (small reduction, not only about getting support but also about mutual aid)
- Those that enhanced social support (significant but small reduction, quantity does not beat quality)
- Those that focused on social skills (were not
effective, loneliness not always due to skills) - Those that addressed maladaptive social cognition (had the largest effect size)
