How the home features in young adults’ representations of loneliness: The impact of COVID‐19

Abstract

Loneliness is a rapidly growing problem globally and has attracted a great deal of attention in light of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Young adults, and in particular, those residing in deprived areas are currently the loneliest group in the United Kingdom. Utilizing a novel‐free association technique, young adults’ experiences of loneliness were explored both prior to ( n = 48) and during ( n = 35) the COVID‐19 pandemic. Drawing on social representations theory, a thematic analysis revealed that many young adults associated the experience of loneliness with their homes. Therefore, this comparative study aims to investigate how the home features in young adults’ representations of loneliness, prior to and during the COVID‐19 pandemic using a systematic qualitative methodology. Three salient themes emerged from the data in both periods: ‘The Lonely Home,’ ‘The Socially Connected Home’ and ‘The Safe, Peaceful, Authentic Home’. ‘The Lonely Home’ and ‘The Socially Connected Home’ emerged as a dialogical antimony. Representations of home were similar across the two periods; however, there were some notable differences. In particular, the themes ‘The Socially Connected Home’ and ‘The Safe, Peaceful, Authentic Home’ were less frequently mentioned by the during‐COVID‐19 sample where the ‘The Lonely Home’ was more frequently mentioned by the during‐COVID‐19 sample. Overall, discussion of the home was more negatively valenced in the during‐COVID‐19 sample compared to the pre‐COVID‐19 sample. This comparative, exploratory study alerts us to the nature of the role that home plays in exacerbating or ameliorating loneliness both prior to and during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

The impact of COVID-19 on young people’s mental health, wellbeing and routine from a European perspective: A co-produced qualitative systematic review

“…Fifty unique publications were subjected to quality assessment using the MMAT tool [ 39 , 40 , 44 – 54 , 56 , 59 , 61 , 62 , 64 – 73 , 75 – 79 , 82 , 83 , 85 – 87 , 89 , 90 , 92 – 94 , 97 , 99 – 102 , 104 , 109 , 110 ] ( S2 Table ). Forty-three studies met 100% of MMAT criteria; [ 39 , 40 , 44 , 48 – 54 , 56 , 59 , 62 , 64 – 70 , 72 , 73 , 75 – 79 , 82 , 83 , 85 , 87 , 89 , 90 , 92 – 94 , 97 , 99 – 102 , 109 , ...…”

Experiencias de Jóvenes en Contextos de Vulnerabilidad Social durante la COVID-19: Narrativas Combinadas con Foto-Elicitación

“…Por otra parte, el entorno pandémico también representó una oportunidad para poner pausa al ajetreo diario, y una intensificación y puesta en valor de la convivencia en el interior de los hogares. No obstante, este último aspecto no es coincidente con otras investigaciones en las que la soledad, el aislamiento y la presentación del hogar como un lugar solitario y desconectado predominó como el sentir más frecuente durante la pandemia (Sawyer et al, 2022).…”

Sadness and Loneliness in Adolescents with Physical, Sensory or Health Problems in Low/Middle-Income Countries

“…The risk factors for the development of loneliness include social isolation. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic’s confinement has increased loneliness among young people [ 2 , 7 ], especially those living in disadvantaged districts [ 8 ]. COVID-19 has also influenced feelings of sadness [ 7 , 9 , 10 ] and “feeling like crying all the time” [ 11 ].…”