Social Networks and Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kovács, Balázs; Caplan, Nick; Grob, Samuel; King, Marissa

doi:10.1177/2378023120985254

Cited by 110 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(68 reference statements)

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“…As a relative comparison to another large-scale crisis, personal social networks were identified as the most important source providing psychological, financial, and social support after Hurricane Katrina (Forgette et al 2009), suggesting that declines in social confidants would have potent consequences for loneliness during the pandemic. This argument is supported by additional research conducted during the pandemic that has shown that people with low numbers of network confidants tended to report increases in loneliness (Kovacs et al 2021). By extension, the likely increasing importance of reliance on social support networks during the pandemic, paired with the losses of these very same support networks, could lead to notable increases in loneliness that in turn undermine self-rated health.…”

Section: Social Network Confidants During the Pandemicmentioning

confidence: 95%

Socially Distant? Social Network Confidants, Loneliness, and Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021

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In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many nations around the world instituted strict social distancing measures. Although necessary to deter the spread of the virus, these measures may also have had adverse health repercussions by increasing social isolation. Using a national longitudinal study from Canada, in which respondents were surveyed in March 2020 at the beginning of stay-at-home orders and again two months later in May, we show that, at baseline, loneliness was inversely associated with perceptions of self-rated health, and there was a beneficial indirect association between respondents’ number of social network confidants and perceived health through lower levels of loneliness. Between March and May, social network confidants decreased and loneliness increased; these changes were independent of each other and contributed to declines in self-rated health. Greater loneliness at baseline was also associated with declines in self-rated health. Our observations suggest that social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic impaired social connectedness, thereby resulting in declines in perceptions of health. We conclude by discussing several policy-related implications of our findings.

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Section: Social Network Confidants During the Pandemicmentioning

confidence: 95%

Socially Distant? Social Network Confidants, Loneliness, and Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021

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“…One possible explanation for this finding is that individuals were not residing with their closest ties. For example, Kovac's et al, (2021) found individuals who reported fewer interactions with their “very close” close ties experienced more perceived social isolation during the 2020 lockdown in the United States. Fewer social interactions with close or quality relationships during COVID-19 may indicate that it is the “perceived” nature of social isolation that is a critical contributing factor to psychological distress compared to quantity of social contact.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of equanimity in mediating the relationship between psychological distress and social isolation during COVID-19

Mann

Walker

2022

Journal of Affective Disorders

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Background Social isolation and the impact on mental health is a major concern during COVID-19. Trait equanimity is expected to protect individuals from psychological distress associated with social isolation. The aim of this study is to examine the link between social isolation and psychological distress via the mediator equanimity. It was hypothesised that objective (few social contacts) and perceived social isolation (loneliness) would predict psychological distress and that equanimity would mediate these relationships. Methods Five hundred and seventy-eight adult United States participants were recruited and completed measures of objective social isolation and perceived social isolation (De Jong Gierveld Social Isolation scale), trait equanimity (Phenomenological Experience of Meditative Equanimity Scale), and psychological distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, Short Form, DASS-21). Results Objective social isolation negatively predicted psychological distress, but equanimity did not mediate this relationship. Perceived social isolation positively predicted psychological distress and equanimity mediated this relationship. Limitations This study is limited by its cross-sectional and self-report design and by a United States sample, which may affect the generalisability of findings. Conclusions Rather than a lack of social contact it is the “perceived” nature of isolation that is related to psychological distress and this relationship indirectly operates through trait equanimity. Individuals high in trait equanimity may be better protected from the impact of perceived social isolation. Clinical interventions can be adapted to include equanimity skills to mitigate perceived social isolation for individuals and reduce adverse outcomes.

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“…However, it should be taken into consideration that the prevalence of this situation is restricted to welfare states and urban regions in which alternatives for ageing in place and traditional family care are present and accessible. Moreover, if the results are placed within the perspective of the Covid19 epidemic, then it could be reckoned that social network changes due to social restriction measures will have increased, as well as the number of older adults that experience a negative impact, which was supported and nuanced by recent evidence on this subject [ 51 – 54 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of social network change and health decline: a qualitative study on experiences of older adults who are ageing in place

et al. 2021

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Background Older adults prefer to age in place. Social network change and health decline challenge ageing in place, as stressors that make age-related advantages disappear. The aim of this study was to explore social network change and health decline and its impact on older adults who are ageing in place. Method In-depth interviews (n = 16) were conducted with older adults who were ageing in place and who were experiencing health decline and social network change. Procedures for grounded theory building were followed to analyse the interviews with respondents who were discharged from the hospital less than 4 months ago (n = 7). Narrative analysis was conducted to reach a deeper understanding of the expected complexity of experiences of this targeted sample. Results Results encompass a typology with four types of impact: A. Sneak preview of old age, B. Disruptive transition into old age, C. Drastically ageing, and D. Steadily ageing. Additionally, indications were found that older adults should be able to move along the four types of impact and ideally could end up in quartile D, experiencing little or no impact at all (anymore). Conclusion The results present an optimistic view on the possibilities of older adults to continue ageing in place despite experiencing unavoidable and uncontrollable stressors in life. Also, the results provide leads for practice, to develop an action perspective for home care nurses and gerontological social workers to determine and reduce the impact of social network change and health decline on older adults who are ageing in place. Suggestions for further research would be to unravel how to detect temporal setbacks in successful ageing in place.

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Social Networks and Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cited by 110 publications

References 45 publications

Socially Distant? Social Network Confidants, Loneliness, and Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Socially Distant? Social Network Confidants, Loneliness, and Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The role of equanimity in mediating the relationship between psychological distress and social isolation during COVID-19

The impact of social network change and health decline: a qualitative study on experiences of older adults who are ageing in place

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