Loneliness over time: The crucial role of social anxiety.

Abstract

Loneliness is known to be associated with multiple adverse physical outcomes, including higher mortality and morbidity risk. However, the impact of loneliness on mental health is less well researched, with most studies assessing how loneliness relates to depressive symptoms alone. We hypothesized that 2 mental health symptoms that relate to the fear of others-social anxiety and paranoia-would contribute to loneliness. We examined how loneliness relates to social anxiety, paranoia, and depression symptoms in a general community sample aged 18-87 years old (N = 1,010). We administered online measures over 3 time points across a 6-month period. In a cross-lagged structural equation model controlling for trait levels and prior states, our results indicated that earlier loneliness positively predicted future states of social anxiety, paranoia, and depression. However, in the same model, earlier social anxiety was the only predictor of future loneliness. These results suggest that loneliness may be a potential antecedent to emerging mental health symptoms and that identifying and treating co-occurring social anxiety symptoms may reduce the severity of loneliness. (PsycINFO Database Record

Multiple Mediation of Loneliness and Negative Emotions in the Relationship between Adolescents’ Social Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

“…Loneliness as a predictor of depression is consistent with the results of previous research in the literature (Hsu, Hailey & Range 1987;Kim, 2001;Lasgaard, Goossens & Elklit 2011, Lim, Rodebaugh, Zyphur & Gleeson, 2016. Since loneliness manifests through negative affects, isolation, and maladjustment, it is natural for adolescents to experience depressive symptoms.…”

“…That social anxiety predicts loneliness and negative affects is consistent with the findings of studies in the relevant literature (Johnson et al, 2001;Lim, Rodebaugh, Zyphur, Gleeson, 2016;Sübaşı, 2007;van Roekel et al, 2013). Adolescents with high levels of social anxiety may avoid social environments through avoidance methods and when experiencing problems socializing with peers, be depressed due to loneliness and negative emotions.…”

“…In relevant studies, social anxiety, similarly, is found to be significantly associated with loneliness (Johnson, Lavoie & Mahoney, 2001;Sübaşı, 2007). Again, Lim, Rodebaugh, Zyphur & Gleeson's (2016) study showed that, in six months, the social anxiety measured in the first months significantly predicted the loneliness measured later. Another study (Ebesutani et al, 2015), loneliness was found to mediate between anxiety and loneliness both in a clinical sample consisting of children and youth and in a regular population consisting of children and youth.…”

“…Similarly, excessive social anxiety is associated with low levels of positive affects and high levels of negative affects. Lim, Rodebaugh, Zyphur & Gleeson's (2016) study showed that, in six months, the loneliness measured in the first months significantly predicted the depression measured later. Vittengl & Holt (1998) stated that individuals with social anxiety often experienced fewer positive and more negative emotions.…”

Social functioning in patients with depressive and anxiety disorders

“…Evidence suggests that residual psychosocial impairment increases the recurrence of depressive and anxious symptomatology 41, 45, and the affective components are suggested to drive this effect. Several studies have for instance shown that loneliness is predictive of both depressive symptomatology within geriatric populations 8, 46, 47 and social phobia 48. Yet, in our analyses, loneliness was not predictive of future psychopathology, with perceived social disability emerging as the sole significant predictor of anxiety and/or depressive disorders 2 years after the initial screening.…”