Loneliness is a growing concern in contemporary societies, particularly in urban environments, where social dynamics are rapidly evolving. Existing measures may not fully capture the complexity of loneliness in the context of ongoing technological and social changes. This study introduces the Madrid Loneliness Questionnaire (MLQ), a new instrument designed to assess loneliness in adults within modern sociocultural contexts. A sample of 1,526 adults (77.1% women; 18–87 years) participated in the study. The sample was randomly divided for structural validation: one subsample underwent exploratory factor analysis (EFA, n = 623) and the other confirmatory factor analysis (CFA, n = 903). Measurement invariance across gender and age was examined using multigroup CFA. Convergent validity was assessed through correlations with self-esteem and perceived stress. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. EFA and CFA supported a three-factor structure with excellent fit indices (Comparative Fit Index = 0.998; Tucker–Lewis Index = 0.997; RMSEA = 0.019; SRMR = 0.05): Social Skills, Partner Relationships, and Emotional Isolation. Multigroup CFA confirmed scalar invariance across gender and age. Significant gender differences were found in Social Skills (higher in men) and Partner Relationships (higher in women). The oldest age group (>65 years) scored higher on Partner Relationships than younger groups. The MLQ and its subscales showed moderate to strong negative correlations with self-esteem (rho = −.36 to −.63) and positive correlations with perceived stress (rho = .25 to .49). The scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = .93, ω = .92). The MLQ is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing loneliness in adults, enabling tailored interventions by serving as a basis for public health policies.

Can feelings of loneliness and depression be adaptive for adolescents? Yes, suggests the Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness: initially, loneliness activates depressive responses for self-preservation. In turn, these feelings prepare adolescents for reaffiliation, thereby reducing loneliness (H1a: short-term balancing feedback loop). If this fails, loneliness and depressive symptoms may become long-term traits that exacerbate each other over time (H1b: long-term reinforcing feedback loop). Therefore, the short-term balancing feedback loop between loneliness and depressive symptoms may buffer against their long-term increases (H2: across-timescale influence). We tested these hypotheses in Dutch adolescents (Mage_Wave1 = 12.9, SDage_Wave1 = 0.7, 53% female) using six-wave, half-yearly panel data (N = 774; 2017–2021) and 7-day, 1.5-hourly experience sampling data (nsubsample = 84; mid-2021). Residual dynamic structural equation modeling revealed reinforcing feedback loops at both short-term (1.5-hourly) and long-term (half-yearly), supporting H1b but not H1a. Bayesian latent change score modeling supported H2: Adolescents who felt more depressed an hour after heightened loneliness showed smaller half-yearly increases in trait loneliness. However, this buffering effect was not predicted by the hourly depressed-to-loneliness relation, nor did either hourly relations predict half-yearly changes in depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that feeling depressed shortly after loneliness may protect adolescents from long-term loneliness.

Adolescence is characterized by heightened sensitivity to social belonging, making loneliness prevalent and consequential for youth. Maladaptive personality traits may further exacerbate loneliness. In this preregistered 14-day Ecological Momentary Assessment study, we examined loneliness across social contexts and timescales in relation to maladaptive personality traits among N = 294 adolescents aged 12–21 years (Mage = 17.5, SD = 2.64; 58.5% female; 86.73% born in Germany). Participants answered 27,503 of 32,340 momentary prompts, indicating high compliance (85.1%). Loneliness (βmomentary = 0.51; βdaily = 0.67) was higher when participants were alone, yet only the presence of close others (e.g., friends) – not weaker ties (e.g., classmates) – reduced loneliness (β = –0.39 to –0.62). Youth who were alone more frequently did not report higher overall loneliness. Maladaptive personality traits were associated with higher (βmomentary = 0.32; βend-of-day = 0.40) and more variable (βmomentary = 0.31; βend-of-day = 0.34) loneliness but amplified the effect of being alone on loneliness only on the between-person level (β = –1.13). Exploratory analyses indicated that social satisfaction partially mediated the association (β = 0.50). These findings underscore the importance of both structural and qualitative aspects of social environments, as well as personality-related vulnerabilities, to better understand loneliness dynamics in youth.

Loneliness is a public health concern influenced by environmental contexts. Among youth, it manifests differently at school and home, yet research in low-resource settings is limited. This study examined patterns of loneliness and how economic and sociodemographic factors correlate with it in school and home environments among Kenyan youths in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,972 youths aged 14–25 years using a self-administered questionnaires. Analyses included paired t-tests, ANOVA and generalized estimating equations (GEEs). Among participants with complete paired data (n = 1,166), loneliness was significantly higher at school (M =23.15) than at home (M = 21.53). Females reported higher loneliness than males (school: p=.011; home: p<.001). Education level and marital status were significantly related to loneliness at home (p<.001 and p=.022) but not at school. Loneliness at home was higher among the poorest households compared to middle-class households (mean difference =2.556, p=.048). GEE models confirmed these patterns and indicated that employment status influenced differences in loneliness between home and school settings. School settings were linked with higher loneliness, while home loneliness varied by socioeconomic and demographic factors, underscoring the need for targeted interventions addressing environmental and social determinants of youth loneliness.

Loneliness is a major psychological challenge in older adulthood, contributing to increased risks of depression, anxiety, and mortality. Conversational agents – technologies that interact with users via natural language – have emerged as potential tools to support psychological well-being in later life. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of autonomous conversational agents, including robotic and nonrobotic systems, on loneliness, as well as social isolation, depression, and anxiety in older people without cognitive impairment. Seventeen studies with pre–post intervention data were included. Nine used physically embodied robots and eight employed nonrobotic agents, such as personal voice assistants, chatbots, or screen-based embodied agents. Due to the limited number of high-quality comparison studies, all meta-analyses were based on within-group pre–post comparisons. Meta-analytic results showed mild to moderate improvements in loneliness (standardized mean changes using change score [SMCC] = 0.350, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.180–0.520) and depression (SMCC = 0.464, 95% CI: 0.327–0.602), with no study reporting symptom worsening. No study included validated measures of social isolation, and only one assessed anxiety. These findings indicate that conversational agents may offer scalable support for older adults’ mental health, with potential especially for reducing loneliness and depression. Nonetheless, methodological limitations, including lack of blinded outcome assessment, inconsistent reporting, and heterogeneous intervention designs, underscore the need for more rigorous research. Advances in large language models may further enhance the responsiveness and relevance of these technologies for supporting psychological well-being in aging populations.

This article analyzes the relationship between subjective well-being (SWB) and participation in neighborhood associations (NHA) in Japan. While the theoretical and empirical literature suggests a strong positive correlation between participation in NHAs and SWB, recent research on Japan could not validate this result. This study shows how those diverging results can be explained by including two factors in the analysis: the voluntariness of the action as well as loneliness as a mediating variable. Using linear regression models on data from two different studies, we find that—even in the case of Japan—voluntary participation in NHAs is positively associated with SWB in two ways: directly and indirectly mediated by loneliness. This result is robust to differently sampled data and different measures of our key variables.

Persistent concerns about loneliness and social isolation in later life have prompted increasing attention to the social and environmental factors that enable or constrain connection. Yet, while previous research has identified community and societal determinants of social connection, little is known about how these factors interact dynamically with individual and interpersonal circumstances to shape older adults’ lived connection experiences. This study addresses this knowledge gap by examining how older Australians perceive and experience environmental influences on their social connectedness, and how factors across multiple ecological levels work together to create or hinder opportunities for connection. Four focus groups were conducted with 15 participants, aged 60 years and over, from metropolitan and regional areas in New South Wales, Australia, to explore how participants described the role of different factors in their connection experiences. Participants identified a range of influences across individual, interpersonal, community and societal levels, including meaningful roles, community spaces, local businesses and transport accessibility. Three patterns of cross-level interaction were revealed: the interplay between personality and community infrastructure; the multi-level role of digital technology; and the cascading influence of policy frameworks shaping community participation opportunities. By uncovering how factors interact dynamically across social-ecological levels, this study advances understanding of the contexts that foster or constrain social connection in later life. The findings contribute to ongoing debates in social gerontology by demonstrating that loneliness and social isolation are best addressed through coordinated, multi-level interventions that align individual, community and policy environments to promote healthy ageing in place.

Although previous research has demonstrated that social media use (SMU) can influence loneliness, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship among older adults remain insufficiently understood. Specifically, limited research has examined how different purposes of SMU (communication, posting and browsing) may contribute to loneliness through variations in social resources, and for whom these pathways differ as a function of attachment styles. To address these gaps, the present study constructed a moderated mediation model to examine whether perceived social support mediated the relationships between different purposes of SMU and loneliness among older adults, and whether attachment styles moderated the mediation of perceived social support. A total of 538 older adults aged 55 and above participated in this survey. The results revealed that all purposes of SMU (communication, posting and browsing) were significantly and negatively associated with loneliness among older adults. Moreover, perceived social support fully mediated the association between social media communication and loneliness. In addition, attachment anxiety and avoidance moderated this indirect association, such that the protective effect of communication was stronger among older adults with higher attachment anxiety or avoidance, likely due to enhanced perceived social support. These findings emphasize the importance of social media communication in promoting mental wellbeing among older adults and highlight its potential to facilitate their social adaptation in the digital era.

Loneliness and social isolation represent persisent global public health concerns, particurarly for people in later life, with extensive mental, social, and biological consequences. Both have been associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, dementia, cardiovascular disease, premature mortality, and greater demand for health and social care services. A growing body of evidence indicates that nature-based interventions are effective in reducing loneliness, enhancing mood, and promoting overall well being, yet they still remain underutilised within health and social care strategies; particularly for older adults and those with limited mobility. One such initiative, Cycling Without Age, a grassroots programme, demonstrates the potential of nature-based interventions. Evidence across multiple contexts indicates improvements in mood, life satisfaction, and social connectedness, alongside benefits for families and care staff. Cycling Without Age illustrates a type of scalable, person-centred intervention that could be integrated into healthy ageing strategies. However, rigourous large-scale research remains scarce, which highlights the need for further evaluation to guide policy adoption and sustainable implementation. Effective responses to loneliness and social isolation require integrated support programmes that foster social connectedness and healthy ageing, delivered through coordinated efforts spanning public health, urban design, and community services.

Social isolation and loneliness are concerns in gerontology. The impact of the human–animal interaction (HAI) on loneliness for older adults living alone is understudied. This scoping review explored the extent to which HAI is included in studies investigating social connectedness, specifically social isolation and loneliness, and if HAI bolsters healthy aging through increased perceived support. Following the PRISMA-ScR protocol, data from 58 articles were thematically categorized, identifying (a) existing inclusion of HAI; (b) definitions and descriptions of HAI; and (c) the relationships between HAI and loneliness outcomes, in social connectedness research. Studies including HAI (animal companions and animal-assisted interventions) have increased over time; many noting protection against loneliness and few noting health detriments. Older adults overwhelmingly consider interactions with companion animals as meaningful relationships, whether living at home or in care. Substantial knowledge gaps exist concerning the influence of HAI on perceived social connectedness for older adults living alone.