Do we all experience loneliness the same way? Lessons from a pilot study measuring loneliness among people with lived experience of homelessness

Abstract

Loneliness may be an important well-being indicator for people leaving homelessness (Padgett, 2007). Even when housed, people can continue to feel isolation associated with the stigma and marginalisation experienced while homeless (Bower et al., 2018), sometimes motiviating them to return to homeless social activities (e.g. substance use), jeopardising their tenancies (Bowpitt & Harding, 2009).Accurate loneliness measurement is vital among this group for clinical and research settings and a standardised measure of loneliness that can be used in homeless samples is desirable. Unfortunately, although researchers have developed measures investigating loneliness in this population (Rokach, 2005), they have rarely used standardised measures.Loneliness research has focussed on certain groups -mainstream or older populations (Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010). However, populations may experience loneliness differently. For example, loneliness appears to be experienced differently in collectivist compared with individualistic cultures (Barretto et al., 2020). Loneliness is experienced in Borderline Personality Disorder as a deep-seated interpersonal distance and emptiness (Sagan, 2017) and among the elderly people as an 'ache' of lost meaningful social roles and sense of lived time as protracted and undifferentiated (Casey & Holmes, 1995).These differences suggest 'one size fits all' measures of loneliness may be inappropriate.

Loneliness among older adults who have experienced homelessness: qualitative findings from the HOPE HOME study

“…In our second group, "lonelyrather be isolated", persistent trauma and social marginalization faced by participants, and exacerbated by experiences of homelessness, led to resignation from multiple social and institutional relationships despite the presence of loneliness. This observation in our nding supports previous research advocating for consideration of the social and structural barriers to reducing social isolation [11,21,22,23,24]. For example, restrictive policies prohibited homeless individuals from receiving housing respite from family and friends as it would threaten their eligibility for housing and social welfare assistance [23].…”

“…An enhanced loneliness scale should be sensitive to the speci c cultural norms and needs, especially for marginalized populations, to help identify nuanced variations in loneliness experience that may not align with existing metrics. Secondly, our study, along with prior research, [11,21,23,24] highlighted the distinct social and structural barriers to reducing loneliness, such as interpersonal violence and structural violence while experiencing homelessness. Future research should continue to explore the mechanisms through which social and structural barriers play a role in loneliness.…”

When More Satisfying and Supportive Relationships Increase Loneliness: The Social Worlds of People with Lived Experience of Homelessness

“…Loneliness. Te Short Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA-S) [9] was used and slightly amended to account for the inappropriateness of some items for this sample (see [30]). Family loneliness, romantic loneliness, and social loneliness domain scores were generated by summing the items for each domain and taking their average.…”

Understanding How Young People Exit Homelessness in Australia: A Critical Realist Approach

“…An intersectional approach can help to illustrate how the effects of homelessness are greater and qualitatively different from those of the mechanisms which are presumed to have caused homelessness (e.g. Bower 2018;Vickery 2018;Vázquez et al 2021). Following Fitzpatrick's previous example, while the interaction of poverty with neighbourhood disadvantage or with family violence may increase the likelihood of homelessness, homelessness may in turn increase the likelihood of exposure to poverty, family violence, or neighbourhood disadvantage.…”