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Daily Loneliness in Young and Older Adults

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Date Issued:
2021
Abstract/Description:
Loneliness is defined as perceived social isolation. Previous research has identified several predictors of chronic loneliness, such as poor self-reported health and living alone. However, the predictors of daily fluctuations in transient experiences of loneliness have not been closely examined. For one week, 200 participants were asked to complete a daily diary survey about their social interactions and loneliness each night. Consistent with predictions, participants reported feeling lonelier on days with less time interacting with others and with poorer quality social interaction. The effect of time spent interacting with others on daily loneliness was stronger for participants higher in chronic loneliness. Supplemental analyses showed that participants felt less lonely on days of the weekend and that additional hours of interaction were more effective in reducing daily loneliness for older adults than younger adults. Examining this differential response in daily loneliness to interaction quality and quantity could inform future interventions.
Title: Daily Loneliness in Young and Older Adults.
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Name(s): Wilson, Angalee, author
Maniaci, Michael , Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Department of Psychology
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2021
Date Issued: 2021
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 33 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Loneliness is defined as perceived social isolation. Previous research has identified several predictors of chronic loneliness, such as poor self-reported health and living alone. However, the predictors of daily fluctuations in transient experiences of loneliness have not been closely examined. For one week, 200 participants were asked to complete a daily diary survey about their social interactions and loneliness each night. Consistent with predictions, participants reported feeling lonelier on days with less time interacting with others and with poorer quality social interaction. The effect of time spent interacting with others on daily loneliness was stronger for participants higher in chronic loneliness. Supplemental analyses showed that participants felt less lonely on days of the weekend and that additional hours of interaction were more effective in reducing daily loneliness for older adults than younger adults. Examining this differential response in daily loneliness to interaction quality and quantity could inform future interventions.
Identifier: FA00013827 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (MA)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Loneliness
Older people
Young people
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013827
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.