Loneliness in Bereavement: Measurement Matters

Abstract

The role of loneliness in the bereavement experience has been reported as substantial, with the death of a close person leaving a considerable void in the life of the bereaved. Yet, there is lack of agreement about its precise role and, notably, whether loneliness should be included as a core symptom for diagnosis of grief complications. The ongoing threat of heightened social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic underlines the need to understand the impact of loneliness, and to accurately chart its prevalence, intensity, duration, and associated difficulties in the context of bereavement. Assessment issues are central to this endeavor. In this article, we review the scientific literature to examine how loneliness after bereavement has been operationalized and measured. Sixty-three articles analyzing 51 independent datasets were reviewed. Results show major disparities: approximately half of the projects assessed loneliness by means of one of two validated scales (spanning different versions); the remainder included only single- or few-item measures. Diverse instructions, content and answer categories were used. While one size does not fit all, awareness of assessment options and dis/advantages may aid selection of the most appropriate measure, to suit the goals of a particular study and the specific groups under investigation. Our conclusion is that, in selecting a loneliness measure, health care professionals should come to their own well-informed decision, aided by the information provided in our review.

The mental health of Australians bereaved during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic: a latent class analysis

“…In contrast, identifying as either single or separated/divorced was independently correlated with the two classes featuring depression and anxiety, suggesting the impacts of these variables were due to factors beyond potential loneliness. These findings add weight to calls for a more systematic analysis of loneliness and social isolation in bereavement (Smith, Wild, & Ehlers, 2020;Vedder et al, 2021Vedder et al, , 2022. In considering factors contributing to loneliness, the experience may have been intensified by the death of an attachment figure during a period of heightened stress related to the pandemic.…”

Resilience in Widowhood: The Coping Mechanisms against the Social Odds Occasioned by Death of a loved one in Kenya

“…This finding is similar to those of Chan, Michalak, and Ybarra (2019) who provided that widows easily turned to religion to redefine their purpose in life. Further, Vedder et al (2022) provide that loneliness at bereavement can be faced using various mechanisms and such including seeking solace in religion. The study also established that widows formed support groups and from the support groups they made friends with whom they shared their issues.…”

Latent class analysis of grief‐related beliefs among recently bereaved adults

“…Intense loneliness is one of the PGD criteria according to the DSM-5-TR, while it is not listed as one of the additional symptoms in the ICD-11 criteria. However, loneliness is a common problem faced by the bereaved (Stroebe, Schut & Stroebe, 2007;Vedder et al, 2021aVedder et al, , 2021b. The issue of loneliness in bereavement may not be negligible, because it may increase probabilities of post-bereavement suicide attempts and suicidal ideation (Pitman, King, Marston & Osborn, 2020).…”