Depressive symptoms predict increased social and emotional loneliness in older adults

Abstract

Objectives: Explorations of relationships between loneliness and depression have focused on loneliness as a uni-dimensional construct. We hypothesised that reciprocal relationships may exist between depressive symptomatology and social and emotional subtypes of loneliness.

Methods: Using data from 373 adults aged over 50, who participated in an observational cohort study, we employed a cross-lagged approach within a Structural Equation Modelling framework, to investigate reciprocal links between depressive symptomatology, and social and emotional loneliness, across two waves of data collection, two years apart (controlling for age, sex, education, comorbidities, social network index, and perceived stress).

Results: Both depressive symptomatology and loneliness decreased slightly between waves. Auto-regressive effects were strong for all three variables of interest. Cross-lagged pathways were evident, such that depressive symptomatology at baseline predicted both emotional (β = 0.26, p < 0.05) and social (β = 0.17, p < 0.05) loneliness at follow-up. Neither emotional (β = 0.07, p > 0.05) nor social (β = 0.05, p > 0.05) loneliness at baseline predicted depressive symptomatology at follow-up.

Conclusions: Results challenge existing understanding of the associations between loneliness and depression. Further investigation of emotional and social loneliness in individuals with depressive disorders is warranted. Findings are discussed in relation to mechanisms that may explain the relationships observed, and possible implications.

Keywords:

• Emotional loneliness
• social loneliness
• structural equation modelling
• cross-lagged path modelling
• depressive symptomatology
• ageing

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all participants and staff members at Trinity College Dublin Memory Research Unit, and those at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience who facilitated data collection. The Memory Research Unit was funded by grants from Atlantic Philanthropies and an Irish Research Council postgraduate scholarship received by Dr Caoimhe Hannigan. The manuscript was prepared with support from the Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI) Leadership in Ageing Research Fellowship received by Dr Joanna McHugh Power.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.