Loneliness and Social Networks in Europe

Abstract

The paper analyses social causes of loneliness in Europe using cross-national data from the 2017 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) module “Social Networks and Social Resources” from 13 countries categorised as Northern Europe, Continental Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe. The paper aims to examine loneliness with regard to three specific groups of predictors, related to network, sociocultural and sociostructural aspects. The results suggest that sociability patterns and personal networks are the most important predictors of loneliness. While the frequency of contacts with family members and close friends and the overall number of contacts showed significance, loneliness was primarily related to the quality of personal relationships. Considering sociocultural factors, the obtained findings showed that social trust is consistently associated with lower levels of loneliness. Furthermore, people from Continental Europe were, in general, less lonely than North and East Europeans. Age was an important factor here as respondents from younger age groups were lonelier in Nordic countries than in the other two blocs of countries, while older respondents were lonelier in Central and East European countries. Finally, sociostructural indicators in general showed less predictive value compared to sociability patterns and sociocultural variables. However, when it came to socioeconomic exclusion, this aspect showed a stronger connection with loneliness for the individuals from the Nordic group of countries. The findings of this paper contribute to the vibrant field of contemporary scholarship on loneliness with a fresh perspective based on comparing three large blocs of European countries and an integrated approach to various predictors of loneliness.

Risk factors for loneliness: A literature review

“…A predominantly negative relationship between a better financial situation and loneliness has been confirmed by cross-sectional studies (e.g., Hawkley et al, 2020b ; Hutten et al, 2022 ; Niedzwiedz et al, 2016 ; Rapolienė and Aartsen, 2022 ; Tonković et al, 2021 ), including a meta-analysis on loneliness in older adults ( Pinquart and Sörensen, 2001 ). This relationship possibly depends on age and country of residence.…”

“…In some studies of general population, a higher level of education acts as a protective factor for loneliness (e.g., Hansen and Slagsvold, 2016 ; Hutten et al, 2022 ; Pagan, 2020 ). In some others, the negative relationship is found in bivariate analyses, but disappears when other relevant factors are controlled for (e.g., Dahlberg et al, 2018 ; Nicolaisen and Thorsen, 2014b ; Tonković et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Some find elevated levels of loneliness among adolescents or young adults, lower levels in mid-adulthood, and increased levels again in old age ( Lasgaard et al, 2016 ; Mund et al, 2020 ; Victor and Yang, 2012 ), that is, a U-shaped relationship between age and loneliness. Others find that loneliness decreases linearly with age ( Barreto et al, 2021 ; Beutel et al, 2017 ; Tonković et al, 2021 ), and some that it increases ( Hansen and Slagsvold, 2016 ; Hutten et al, 2022 ). The U-shaped relationship has been found also in some studies about specific age groups, for instance among students (18–35 years old) ( Hysing et al, 2020 ) and middle-aged to older adults (aged 50 years or more) ( Pinquart and Sörensen, 2001 ).…”

“…The link between age and loneliness may depend on the context (i.e., a group of countries) ( Hansen and Slagsvold, 2016 ; Tonković et al, 2021 ; Yang and Victor, 2011 ) and it also varies with how loneliness is measured ( Nicolaisen and Thorsen, 2014 ), with sex ( Yang and Victor, 2011 ), and their interplay ( von Soest et al, 2018 ).…”

“…Those aged less than average for a given life event react more strongly in terms of changes in loneliness to both transition into paid employment and job loss compared to those aged more than average ( Buecker et al, 2021 ). Also, the link between being unemployed and lonely seems to be the strongest in the countries of continental (Western) Europe ( Tonković et al, 2021 ).…”