Jerry Norlin, Kevin J McKee, Carin Lennartsson, Lena Dahlberg
{"title":"Quantity and quality of social relationships and their associations with loneliness in older adults.","authors":"Jerry Norlin, Kevin J McKee, Carin Lennartsson, Lena Dahlberg","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2025.2460068","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Loneliness arises from a discrepancy between the relationships one desires and those one experiences. This study examines the relative importance of relationship quantity and quality for loneliness in older adults.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The study was a cross-sectional, representative survey of 474 adults aged 77 and above living in Dalarna, Sweden. Loneliness was measured using the three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Four ordinal logistic regression models of loneliness were developed: one for quantity of relationships and three for quality of relationships (closeness; conflict; closeness and conflict combined). Perceived social support was included in the quality models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The quality models explained the most variance in loneliness and had better model fit. Having a partner was associated with less loneliness, even when there was conflict. Having a close relationship with children was associated with less loneliness, but a lack of closeness or the presence of conflict was associated with more loneliness. Perceived social support was associated with less loneliness.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Quantity and quality of relationships are both associated with loneliness in older adults, but relationship quality appears to have greater importance. Specific types of relationships are also relevant, highlighting the need to consider relationship dynamics when designing interventions to reduce loneliness.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Aging & Mental Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2460068","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
Quantity and quality of social relationships and their associations with loneliness in older adults.
Objectives: Loneliness arises from a discrepancy between the relationships one desires and those one experiences. This study examines the relative importance of relationship quantity and quality for loneliness in older adults.
Method: The study was a cross-sectional, representative survey of 474 adults aged 77 and above living in Dalarna, Sweden. Loneliness was measured using the three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Four ordinal logistic regression models of loneliness were developed: one for quantity of relationships and three for quality of relationships (closeness; conflict; closeness and conflict combined). Perceived social support was included in the quality models.
Results: The quality models explained the most variance in loneliness and had better model fit. Having a partner was associated with less loneliness, even when there was conflict. Having a close relationship with children was associated with less loneliness, but a lack of closeness or the presence of conflict was associated with more loneliness. Perceived social support was associated with less loneliness.
Conclusion: Quantity and quality of relationships are both associated with loneliness in older adults, but relationship quality appears to have greater importance. Specific types of relationships are also relevant, highlighting the need to consider relationship dynamics when designing interventions to reduce loneliness.
期刊介绍：
Aging & Mental Health provides a leading international forum for the rapidly expanding field which investigates the relationship between the aging process and mental health. The journal addresses the mental changes associated with normal and abnormal or pathological aging, as well as the psychological and psychiatric problems of the aging population. The journal also has a strong commitment to interdisciplinary and innovative approaches that explore new topics and methods.
Aging & Mental Health covers the biological, psychological and social aspects of aging as they relate to mental health. In particular it encourages an integrated approach for examining various biopsychosocial processes and etiological factors associated with psychological changes in the elderly. It also emphasizes the various strategies, therapies and services which may be directed at improving the mental health of the elderly and their families. In this way the journal promotes a strong alliance among the theoretical, experimental and applied sciences across a range of issues affecting mental health and aging. The emphasis of the journal is on rigorous quantitative, and qualitative, research and, high quality innovative studies on emerging topics.
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