Loneliness: Forms and Components

Lopata, Helena Znaniecka

doi:10.2307/799870

Cited by 88 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…• personal characteristics such as old age, a situation which often goes hand in hand with reduced access to mediating social structures 73,88,[101][102][103][104] • Gender: (strong) differences between men and women are not usually found, after controlling for age, marital status, and household composition 28,51,59,105 • Partner and household composition: being without a partner -widowed, divorced, separated, never married -and living alone, or living with children, affects the risk of loneliness 25,51,54,75,82,[106][107][108][109] • Health, including the situation of chronic, long-term or terminal illness 50,59,106,[110][111][112] • Situational restrictions, such as an urban versus rural community of residence 113,114 • The specific characteristics of the older adult's family and non-family relationships: the divorce of a child or long-term illness of the partner • Socio-cultural constraints, the norms and values that regulate the self-definition and role conception of older men or women. Additionally, personal constraints related to the social skills of the person involved -low self-esteem, powerlessness, feelings of rejection, expectations about personal efficacy, self-perceived lack of disclosure to others -and his or her personality characteristics should be taken into account, 58,113,115,116 although to a lesser extent.…”

Section: Loneliness Social Network Size and The Network's Functioningmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of loneliness: concept and definitions, determinants and consequences

Gierveld

1998

Rev. Clin. Gerontol.

466

200

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The well-being of older adults in general, and their loneliness in particular, are important themes in recent discussions in the Western world. The social integration and participation of older adults in society are seen as indicators of productive aging, and the alleviation of loneliness forms part of policies aimed at achieving the goal of ‘successful’ aging. Discussions about loneliness date back to ancient times, when they were led by philosophers. They wrote primarily about ‘positive’ loneliness. This positive type of loneliness - as indicated in the concept of ‘Einsamkeit’ used in German literature until 1945 - is perceived to be related to the voluntary withdrawal from the daily hassles of life and oriented towards higher goals, such as reflection, meditation and communication with God.

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Section: Loneliness Social Network Size and The Network's Functioningmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of loneliness: concept and definitions, determinants and consequences

Gierveld

1998

Rev. Clin. Gerontol.

466

200

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“…The situational causes of loneliness most frequently referred to are those that involve disruption in relationships and friendships with other people; as Rokach (1990 p. 379) suggests ‘loss in general, not necessarily through death, was seen as the most common cause of loneliness’. The most extreme form of loss is bereavement (Lopata 1969, Lynch 1997, Creecy et al . 1985, Rodgers 1989, Rokach 1989, Acorn & Bampton 1992, Holmen et al .…”

Section: Causes Effects and Associated Factors In The General Populamentioning

confidence: 99%

Loneliness: an epidemic in modern society

Killeen

1998

Journal of Advanced Nursing

176

148

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Loneliness is a little discussed concept in today's self-obsessed climate, where it is seen as a negative embarrassing condition. It is unique for every individual, and as such, it is difficult to define. There are other closely related concepts, for example, aloneness and solitude, that further complicate an already complex issue. Loneliness also has various causes and effects that can be one and the same, and so it can be confused with similar but different conditions, for example, depression and self-esteem. But, at the end of the day, if the word loneliness is mentioned in conversation, everybody will understand what it means to them, and how distressing an ordeal it can be. Everyone is lonely to some degree, no matter how much they pretend they are not: it is part of being human. Nursing literature looks at loneliness from a rather basic, superficial perspective, when discussing whether such a traumatic state of being can be solved, but this is not a solution as such. It is such an innate part of the human psyche, that it cannot be solved like a puzzle; it can only be alleviated and made less painful. This can only be achieved by increasing humankind's awareness of this distressing condition that everyone has to endure in some way, shape or form, some time during their lives, about which there is nothing to be embarrassed. If non-lonely individuals could spare a smile or a word for people who might be perceived as being lonely, even if in doing so they selfishly think 'there but for the grace of God go I', such a small gesture might just make their day a little less of an ordeal.

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“…1982;Peplau, Bikson, Rook and Goodchilds 1982;Townsend 1973;Weiss 1982). The objective fact of social isolation and the subjective experience of emotional isolation are by no means equivalent (Larsen et al 1985;Lopata 1969;Mullins and McNicholas 1986;Weiss 1982). Conversely, persons may have chronic feelings of loneliness even when in a crowd or surrounded by others.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Growing old and lonely in different societies: Toward a comparative perspective

Johnson

Mullins

1987

J Cross-Cultural Gerontol

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The main argument of this paper is that the subjective experience of loneliness among older people must be analyzed in relation to the overall value system of society or the subcultural values of particular segments of society. Cultural or subcultural value systems are contrasted in terms of whether they give priority to individualistic values or to collective values such as family or community bonds. These differences in value systems result in important differences in people's social contacts and socioemotional bonding experiences as well as their level of satisfaction with a given level of social relationships. It is suggested that these differences must be looked at in relation to basic human needs for social bonding as well as needs for individuation. The concept of the loneliness threshold is introduced to identify the level of social contacts that individuals desire to avoid the experience of loneliness or emotional isolation.

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Loneliness: Forms and Components

Cited by 88 publications

References 3 publications

A review of loneliness: concept and definitions, determinants and consequences

A review of loneliness: concept and definitions, determinants and consequences

Loneliness: an epidemic in modern society

Growing old and lonely in different societies: Toward a comparative perspective

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