Empty Nest Syndrome: Loneliness and Social Support among Middle-aged Parents

Abstract

This study explored the dynamics of empty nest syndrome and its relationships with middle-aged parents' feelings of loneliness and the need for social support. As the Philippines was known for having this kind of family values, this study explored the different psychological impacts on Filipino parents when their child or children moved out of their nest. This study also aimed to provide a more thorough knowledge of how individuals navigated this transition, which could ultimately direct the creation of solutions to support middle-aged parents in thriving as they got used to the "empty nest" stage. This study utilized the explanatory-sequential mixed method design. Middle-aged parents (40-64 years old) living in specific municipalities of Laguna were the respondents/participants of the study. The sampling method used was convenience and purposeful homogenous sampling, and G*Power was used to compute the suggested sample size. 74 respondents were gathered for the quantitative phase, and 5 participants for the qualitative phase. Two adopted tests were used for quantitative data gathering, and a researcher-made interview guide was used for the qualitative phase. Statistical tools used were frequency distribution, percentage, weighted mean, and Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient or Spearman rho. Thematic analysis was also used in the qualitative aspect of the study. Results showed that middle-aged parents experiencing empty nest syndrome had a low level of loneliness (mean score 1.96) and received high social support (mean score 5.76). A significant negative correlation (r = -0.680, p < 0.001) existed between social support and loneliness, indicating that increased social support reduced loneliness. The lived experiences of these parents revealed themes such as sadness, coping strategies like social media and spiritual interventions, emotional support from friends, adaptation to social changes, maintaining relationships, and adjusting to new parental roles.