Reductions in social anxiety during treatment predict lower levels of loneliness during follow-up among individuals with social anxiety disorder

IntroductionIndividuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) are at elevated risk of loneliness, yet little research has examined loneliness in this population. Cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) have demonstrated efficacy in treating SAD, yet research has not examined whether they lead to reductions in loneliness.MethodsThis sample comprised 108 individuals with SAD who were randomized to CBGT, MBSR, or a waitlist control (WL); WL participants were re-randomized to CBGT or MBSR following WL. Assessments were completed pre- and post-treatment, and 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up assessments.ResultsCompared to WL, individuals in CBGT and MBSR were less lonely at post-treatment; there was no difference between treatments after treatment or during follow-up. Greater reductions in social anxiety from pre- to post-treatment predicted lower levels of loneliness during follow-up. Greater reductions in loneliness from pre- to post-treatment also predicted lower levels of social anxiety during follow-up.DiscussionIndividuals who experience reductions in their social anxiety during treatment may also feel less lonely following treatment. Reductions in loneliness also lead to improvements in social anxiety. Future research should continue to examine the relationship between social anxiety and loneliness and how interventions for SAD may help reduce loneliness.     

Psychosocial predictors and outcomes of loneliness trajectories from childhood to early adolescence

Using latent class growth analysis, we were interested in investigating how experiences of loneliness emerge in distinct developmental patterns over the course of middle childhood and adolescence (NICHD Study of Early Child Care, N = 832). Second, we examined the role of demographic, mental health, and behavioral variables in association with these discrete patterns of loneliness. Loneliness was measured at 3 time points: age 9, age 11, and age 15. Results indicated five discrete trajectories of loneliness from middle childhood to adolescence. Most children exhibited a stable and low level of loneliness over time. The remaining children were split among moderate increasing, high increasing, decreasing, and chronic loneliness groups. Ethnicity, income, age 7 social skills, age 7 depression, and age 7 aggression were associated with trajectory membership. In addition, the loneliness trajectories predicted self-reports of social skills deficits, depression, aggression, and suicidal ideation at age 15.     

甲状腺癌术后131I隔离治疗患者孤独感现状及影响因素研究

目的：调查甲状腺癌术后¹³¹I隔离治疗患者孤独感现状,并分析其影响因素。方法：采用方便抽样法,2021年3月至12月选择228例甲状腺癌术后¹³¹I隔离治疗患者为研究对象,采用一般资料调查表、癌症孤独感量表(CLS)、一般疏离感量表(GSA)、安全感量表(SQ)进行调查,采用多元线性回归分析患者孤独感影响因素。结果：甲状腺癌术后¹³¹I隔离治疗患者孤独感总分为(18.86±4.03)分;疏离感总分为(32.07±4.87)分;安全感总分为(59.73±12.39)分。多元线性回归分析结果显示,年龄、负面社会期望、疏离感、安全感、学历、居住状态是孤独感影响因素(P<0.05),可解释总变异的56%。结论：甲状腺癌术后¹³¹I隔离治疗患者孤独感处于中等水平,重点关注年龄较大、学历较低、独居、疏离且缺乏安全感的患者。医护工作者应早期识别¹³¹I隔离治疗患者的孤独感情绪,采取积极的态度和科学的方法改善或解决患者孤独感问题,提升治疗效果,帮助患者早日回归社会。     

Older Chinese migrants in coronavirus pandemic: exploring risk and protective factors to increased loneliness

Older migrants may be one of the most vulnerable populations during the coronavirus pandemic, yet the degree of impact remains largely unknown. This study explores (1) the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for older Chinese migrants in Belgium and the Netherlands in terms of increased loneliness and its risk factors (reduced in-person contact, decreased social participation, feelings of existential threat) and protective factors (increased non-in-person contact, more individual activities), and (2) which risk and protective factors have contributed to the incidence and prevention of higher loneliness levels. Using quantitative data of a survey among 98 Chinese migrants aged 50 years and older in Belgium (n = 84) and the Netherlands (n = 14), the findings first indicate that the coronavirus pandemic has a significant impact on older Chinese migrants’ lives. One in five experienced more loneliness. Second, reduced social participation (measured as less frequent participation in outdoor group activities) and financial insecurity (measured as experiencing financial difficulties) lead to higher than pre-pandemic loneliness levels. Problem-focused coping strategies (measured as increased non-in-person contact, via telephone or social media) and emotion-focused coping (measured as finding distraction through increased participation in individual activities) were not found to protect against increased loneliness in the pandemic. Two practical implications for loneliness interventions for older Chinese migrants are put forward. Organizing COVID-19-safe social participation activities and paying more attention to older Chinese migrants’ financial situation can be beneficial when addressing higher levels of loneliness due to the coronavirus pandemic.     

Suffering in silence: a qualitative study of older adults’ experiences of living with long-term musculoskeletal pain at home

Long-term musculoskeletal pain is a major, disabling, and often undertreated health problem among the increasing number of older adults worldwide. However, there is limited knowledge of community-dwelling older adults’ experiences of living with this type of pain. The aim of the study was to deepen the understanding of the phenomenon: how older adults experience living with long-term musculoskeletal pain at home. The study design was an inductive qualitative Reflective Lifeworld Research approach grounded in phenomenological epistemology. Data were obtained from 20 community-dwelling older adults, aged 72–97 years. Data were collected through open-ended interviews and analyzed to understand the meanings of the phenomenon. The essence of the phenomenon entailed suffering in silence and encompassed the following constituents: loneliness and restrictions in daily living; ways to endure and distract from pain; not being taken seriously; fear of the future; and valuing joy and meaning in life. Living with long-term musculoskeletal pain restricts access to the world and leads to a suffering in silence. Finding ways to endure and distract from pain and to focus on issues that give joy and meaning in life is predominant in efforts to balance restraints from pain in life. Suffering is reinforced by loneliness, a sense of not being taken seriously by health care providers and fear of an uncertain future. It is necessary to foster increased attentiveness and sensitivity in meeting the needs of each older adult and provide a care that alleviates suffering and preserves and promotes health and well-being.     

Efficacy of a horticultural activity program for reducing depression and loneliness in older residents of nursing homes in Taiwan

Promoting psychological health in older populations is important. This study evaluated a horticultural activity program for reducing depression and loneliness in older residents of nursing homes in Taiwan. A convenience sample of 150 older residents of three nursing homes were recruited and randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group (n = 75) participated in an 8-week horticultural activity program. The control group (n = 75) received routine care. Generalized estimating equations analyses revealed significant time by treatment interaction effects for depression (p < .001) and loneliness (p < .001). This study provides a reference for improving psychological health in older people.     

Effects of social isolation,loneliness and frailty on health outcomes and their possible mediators and moderators in community-dwelling older adults: A scoping review

Background/ObjectivesOver the past decade, the quantity and quality of social relationships in later life have become one of the main challenges facing an aging society. Our aims were to map and synthesize the literature addressing the effects of loneliness, three aspects of social isolation, including social networks, social support, and social participation, and frailty on health outcomes and their mediators and moderators among older adults.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review and searched for articles published in English and French from 2001 up to 2019 in the following databases: Medline, Embase, CINAHL Plus, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO.ResultsOur database search initially resulted in 4001 articles of which 1832 were excluded; 26 were eligible. Most of the included studies revealed associations between social isolation, loneliness and frailty. The majority of studies found evidence of associations between frailty and their adverse outcomes; however, only few studies found a relationship between social isolation and health outcomes. In spite of the established link between frailty and adverse outcomes, no study looked at how social isolation and loneliness can alter adverse outcomes of frailty. No study investigated the role of frailty or social isolation and loneliness as a mediator on the pathway related to health.ConclusionsEvidence is limited in examining the role of frailty or social isolation and loneliness as a moderator and mediator. Longitudinal research combining both social isolation and loneliness are warranted to explore whether social isolation or loneliness has more deleterious effects on frailty and health outcomes.     

造血干细胞移植患者保护性隔离期间孤独感的研究进展

造血干细胞移植（hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,HSCT）患者保护性隔离期间多具有孤独感,对其健康结局会造成不良影响。该文对HSCT患者保护性隔离期间孤独感的研究进行综述,包括孤独感的概念、相关理论、评估工具、影响因素及干预措施等。目前,国内相关研究较少,建议未来开展HSCT患者孤独感现状、影响因素及其与患者健康结局间关系的研究,为构建系统化干预方案提供依据。     

儿童孤独感与同伴接纳的关系

目的主要探讨儿童孤独感与同伴接纳的相互关系。方法采用儿童孤独量表和友谊质量问卷对某市一所小学3~6年级187名小学生进行调查。结果小学生孤独感水平在性别(t=2.523,P0.05)、年级(F=2.924,P0.05)、是否独生子女(t=-2.554,P0.05)和生源地上(t=-2.534,P0.05)存在显著差异;儿童积极友谊在性别上(t=-4.002,P0.01)存在显著差异,而儿童积极友谊与消极友谊之间没有显著相关;儿童孤独感与友谊之间有显著负相关(r=-0.352,P0.01),即儿童孤独感程度越高,友谊关系质量越低;儿童孤独感程度越低,友谊关系质量越高。结论儿童孤独感与同伴接纳之间存在显著相关,同伴接纳是影响儿童孤独感的重要因素之一。     

首次夏秋季入伍新兵情绪社交孤独感调查

目的了解首次夏秋季入伍新兵情绪社交孤独感的状况。方法应用情绪-社交孤独问卷(ESLI)和症状自评量表(SCL-90),对某部队2013年564名入伍新兵进行整群抽样测试研究,然后对其进行t检验和方差分析。结果①ESLI各因子与SCL-90各因子均存在显著性相关;②新兵SCL-90各因子得分均显著低于国内青年常模(t=9.48,8.5,15.39,14.88,8.57,11.94,8.59,13.96,6.90,6.96;P0.01)、军人新兵常模(t=19.53,14.29,19.07,19.89,18.14,13.13,21.72,23.68,23.91,13.11,21.47;P0.01);③不同性别的新兵孤独感各因子存在显著性差异(t=3.516,4.392,3.481,3.855;P0.01),是否独生子女对孤独感影响无显著性差异;④不同的文化程度对情绪孤立与社交孤立有显著性影响(F=3.746,6.241;P0.05),进一步多重比较表明,高中组新兵得分明显高于中专组;不同的文化程度对情绪孤独、社交孤独没有显著性影响。结论2013年入伍新兵的孤独感较低,心理健康状况较好;新兵的孤独感受性别、文化程度等因素的影响,男兵和高中文化的新兵更容易感受到孤独感。