Exploring the Frequency, Intensity, and Duration of Loneliness: A Latent Class Analysis of Data from the BBC Loneliness Experiment

Abstract

Almost all measures of loneliness have been developed without discussing how to best conceptualize and assess the severity of loneliness. In the current study, we adapted the four-item UCLA, so that it continued to measure frequency of loneliness, but also assessed intensity and duration, providing a measure of other aspects of loneliness severity. Using data from participants resident in the UK who completed the BBC Loneliness Experiment (N = 36,767; F = 69.6%) and Latent Class Profile Analyses, we identified four groups of people who scored high on loneliness on at least one of the three severity measures. Duration of loneliness often over months or years seemed to be particularly important in distinguishing groups. Further, group membership was predicted by important demographic and psychological variables. We discuss the findings in terms of implications for research and practice. We highlight the need to explore these profiles longitudinally to investigate how membership predicts later mental and physical health, and well-being.

Neighbourhood effects on loneliness among adolescents

“…Perceived neighbourhood characteristics, particularly social cohesion/social capital, are also important risk factors for elevated loneliness, in line with findings from previous studies focusing on adults [29] and older adolescents [8].…”

Loneliness During the School Years: How It Affects Learning and How Schools Can Help*

“…Loneliness is experienced more frequently during adolescence and emerging adulthood (ie, aged 11-24 years) than during childhood, adulthood, and older adulthood. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] Available evidence shows that the percentage of youth reporting feeling lonely ''very often'' or ''always'' is less than 5% of children at 8 years of age 20 and between 3% and 16.3% of adolescents ages 11 to 15 years 6,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] ; in the United Kingdom, 9% of 14 year olds responded ''true'' to ''I feel lonely,'' 6 and 10% of those aged 16 to 24 years reported feeling lonely often or always, compared to 4%-6% of all other age groups. 19 In work that examines trends in loneliness during adolescence using population data from several years, 15 year olds were more likely to report loneliness than 13 and 11 year olds, and 13 year olds were more likely to report loneliness than 11 year olds.…”

A call for better research and resources for understanding and combatting youth loneliness: integrating the perspectives of young people and researchers

“…Despite heterogeneity across these different approaches, chronic loneliness variables are usually based on total scores on loneliness questionnaires that consider its frequency. Recently, a paper argued that “severe” loneliness needs to be thought of not just in terms of frequency of loneliness feelings, but also their duration and their intensity [ 19 ].…”