Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Loneliness in Adults: The Netherlands Twin Register Study
Open accessAbstract
Heritability estimates based on two small studies in children indicate that the genetic contribution to individual differences in loneliness is approximately 50%. Heritability estimates of complex traits such as loneliness may change across the lifespan, however, as the frequency, duration, and range of exposure to environmental influences accrues, or as the expression of genetic factors changes. We examined data on loneliness from 8,387 young adult and adult Dutch twins who had participated in longitudinal survey studies. A measure of loneliness was developed based on factor analyses of items of the YASR (The Young Adult Self Report). Variation in loneliness was analyzed with genetic structural equation models. The estimate of genetic contributions to variation in loneliness in adults was 48%, which is similar to the heritability estimates found previously in children. There was no evidence for sex or age differences in genetic architecture. Sex differences in prevalence were significant, but we did not see an association with age or birth cohort. All resemblance between twin relatives was explained by shared genes, without any suggestion of a contribution of shared environmental factors.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Individual differences in perceived social isolation are about 50% heritable.
“These studies indicate that the heritability of individual differences in perceived isolation is approximately 50%.”
From Social isolation (2011) · cites this paper as [61]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation.
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037//0033-2909.117.3.497 · Cited by 23,245 · see citing works
Introduction to Quantitative Genetics.
Edwards, A. W. F., & Falconer, D. S. (1982) · Biometrics · doi:10.2307/2529912 · Cited by 21,447 · see citing works
Social Relationships and Health
House, J. S., Landis, K. R., & Umberson, D. (1988) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.3399889 · Cited by 7,073 · see citing works
The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: concurrent and discriminant validity evidence
Russell, D., Peplau, L. A., & Cutrona, C. E. (1980) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.39.3.472 · Cited by 5,173 · see citing works
A secure base: parent-child attachment and healthy human development
(1989) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.26-4750 · Cited by 4,878 · see citing works
A Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness in Large Surveys: Results From Two Population-Based Studies
Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004) · Research on Aging · doi:10.1177/0164027504268574 · Cited by 4,781 · see citing works
Self-citationMethodology for Genetic Studies of Twins and Families
Neale, M. C., & Cardon, L. R. (1992) · doi:10.1007/978-94-015-8018-2 · Cited by 4,005 · see citing works
Loneliness: the experience of emotional and social isolation
Weiss, R. S. (1974) · Cited by 2,513 · see citing works
Loneliness: A Source Book of Current Theory, Research and Therapy
Blazer, D. G. (1983) · Journal of Gerontology · doi:10.1093/geronj/38.4.492 · Cited by 2,139 · see citing works
Introduction to Quantitative Genetics.
Edwards, J. H., & Falconer, D. S. (1960) · Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A (General) · doi:10.2307/2342481 · Cited by 1,812 · see citing works
Social Bonds of Female Baboons Enhance Infant Survival
Silk, J. B., Alberts, S. C., & Altmann, J. (2003) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1088580 · Cited by 1,157 · see citing works
Classical twin studies and beyond
Boomsma, D., Busjahn, A., & Peltonen, L. (2002) · Nature Reviews Genetics · doi:10.1038/nrg932 · Cited by 1,105 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Since then, we have also recruited older twins through City Councils, and asked adult twins to register with the NTR in our yearly newsletter (Boomsma et al., 2000, 2002; Vink et al., 2004).”
BackgroundSelf-citationVariance Components Models for Gene–Environment Interaction in Twin Analysis
Purcell, S. (2002) · Twin Research · doi:10.1375/136905202762342026 · Cited by 924 · cited 2× · see citing works
“If there would be G C interaction, it would be part of the genetic variance in the twin model that was employed in this paper (Purcell, 2003), i.e. it is the genotype of the individual that determines the response to the common family environment.”
MethodHandbook of personal relationships: theory, research, and interventions
(1989) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.26-4772 · Cited by 749 · see citing works
Attraction and close relationships.
Berscheid, E., & Reis, H. T. (1998) · Cited by 743 · see citing works
A twin-pronged attack on complex traits
Martin, N., Boomsma, D., & Machin, G. (1997) · Nature Genetics · doi:10.1038/ng1297-387 · Cited by 685 · see citing works
Self-citationLonely hearts: Psychological perspectives on loneliness
Ernst, J. M., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1999) · Applied and Preventive Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0962-1849(99)80008-0 · Cited by 566 · see citing works
Self-citationHawkley, L. C., Browne, M. W., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2005) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01617.x · Cited by 354 · see citing works
Self-citationThe relationship code: deciphering genetic and social influences on adolescent development
(2000) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.38-0619 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
Netherlands Twin Register: A Focus on Longitudinal Research
Boomsma, D. I., Vink, J. M., Beijsterveldt, T. C. E. M. V., de Geus, E. J. C., Beem, A. L., Mulder, E. J. C. M., Derks, E. M., Riese, H., Willemsen, G. A. H. M., Bartels, M., et al. (2002) · Twin Research · doi:10.1375/136905202320906174 · Cited by 287 · see citing works
Self-citationMeasures of Depression and Loneliness
Shaver, P. R., & Brennan, K. A. (1991) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-590241-0.50010-1 · Cited by 263 · see citing works
The Genetics of Smoking Initiation and Quantity Smoked in Dutch Adolescent and Young Adult Twins
Koopmans, J. R., Slutske, W., Heath, A., Neale, M., & Boomsma, D. (1999) · Behavior Genetics · doi:10.1023/a:1021618719735 · Cited by 219 · see citing works
Self-citationTHE TENDING INSTINCT: HOW NURTURING IS ESSENTIAL TO WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE LIVE (2002)
Taylor, S. E. (2004) · Issues in Mental Health Nursing · doi:10.1080/01612840490486845 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
Risk factors for loneliness in adulthood and old age--a meta-analysis.
Pinquart, M., & Sörensen, S. (2003) · Cited by 179 · see citing works
Human Genetics for the Social Sciences
Carey, G. (2003) · Sage eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781452229591 · Cited by 168 · see citing works
Advances in Twin and Sib-Pair Analysis.
Cherny, S. S. (2001) · The American Journal of Human Genetics · doi:10.1086/322935 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
Boomsma, D. I., de Geus, E. J. C., van Baal, G., & Koopmans, J. (1999) · Twin Research · doi:10.1375/136905299320565988 · Cited by 160 · see citing works
Self-citationBoomsma, D. I., Koopmans, J. R., van Doornen, L. J. P., & Orlebeke, J. F. (1994) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.1994.tb00881.x · Cited by 130 · see citing works
Self-citationBoomsma, D. I., & Martin, N. G. (2002) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/0470854871.chxiii · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Self-citationNetherlands twin family study of anxious depression (NETSAD)
Boomsma, D. I., Beem, A. L., van den Berg, M., Dolan, C. V., Koopmans, J., Vink, J. M., de Geus, E. J. C., & Slagboom, P. E. (2000) · Twin Research · doi:10.1375/136905200320565300 · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Self-citationEffects of Censoring on Parameter Estimates and Power in Genetic Modeling
Derks, E. M., Dolan, C. V., & Boomsma, D. I. (2004) · Twin Research · doi:10.1375/1369052042663832 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Self-citationLoneliness and the Evaluation of Relational Events
Duck, S. W., Pond, K., & Leatham, G. (1994) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/0265407594112006 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Boomsma, D., de Geus, E. J. C., van Baal, G., et al. (1999) · Twin Research · doi:10.1375/twin.2.2.115 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Self-citationGenetic and Environmental Contributions to Loneliness in Children
McGuire, S., & Clifford, J. (2000) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/1467-9280.00293 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Estimating Non-Response Bias in Family Studies: Application to Mental Health and Lifestyle
Vink, J. M., Willemsen, G. A. H. M., Stubbe, J. H., Middeldorp, C. M., Ligthart, R. S. L., Baas, K. D., Dirkzwager, H. J. C., de Geus, E. J. C., & Boomsma, D. I. (2004) · European Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1023/b:ejep.0000036814.56108.66 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Self-citationPeplau, L. (1982) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Cacioppo, J. T., Berntson, G. G., Sheridan, J. F., & McClintock, M. K. (2000) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037//0033-2909.126.6.829 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Self-citationThe behavior genetics of personality and the NEAD study
Loehlin, J. C., Neiderhiser, J. M., & Reiss, D. (2003) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/s0092-6566(03)00012-6 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
From learning to love : the selected papers of H.F. Harlow
Harlow, H. F., & Harlow, C. M. (1986) · Praeger eBooks · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Application of nonlinear factor analysis to genotype-environment interaction
Molenaar, P. C. M., & Boomsma, D. I. (1987) · Behavior Genetics · doi:10.1007/bf01066011 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Self-citationGene-environment interaction and twin studies
Martin, N. G. (1999) · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Martin NG, Gene-environment interactions
Boomsma, D. I., & Martin, N. G. (2002) · VU Research Portal · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Neale M. C., Boker S. M., Xie G. and Maes H. H. (2003). Mx: Statistical Modeling. VCU Box 900126, Richmond VA 23298: Department of Psychiatry. 6th edition
- Plomin, R., DeFries, J. C., McClearn, G. E., and McGuffin, P. (2001). Behavior Genetics, 4th edition . New York: Worth Publishers and W.H. Freeman and Company.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
On seeing human: A three-factor theory of anthropomorphism
Epley, N., Waytz, A., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.114.4.864 · Cited by 4,069 · see citing works
Self-citationPerceived social isolation and cognition
Cacioppo, J. T., & Hawkley, L. C. (2009) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2009.06.005 · Cited by 2,144 · see citing works
Self-citationA Meta-Analysis of Interventions to Reduce Loneliness
Masi, C. M., Chen, H.-Y., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2011) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/1088868310377394 · Cited by 1,995 · see citing works
“Using procedures described by Borenstein et al. (2009), the influence of categorical moderator variables was assessed using subgroup analyses analogous to ANOVAs that partition the total effect size variance into variance within and between groups.”
MethodSelf-citationSocial disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and health among older adults
Cornwell, E. Y., & Waite, L. J. (2009) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.1177/002214650905000103 · Cited by 2,027 · see citing works
Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., & Thisted, R. A. (2010) · Psychology and Aging · doi:10.1037/a0017216 · Cited by 1,757 · see citing works
Self-citationSocial relationships and health: The toxic effects of perceived social isolation
Cacioppo, J. T., & Cacioppo, S. (2014) · Social and Personality Psychology Compass · doi:10.1111/spc3.12087 · Cited by 1,057 · see citing works
Self-citationLoneliness within a nomological net: An evolutionary perspective
Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., Ernst, J. M., Burleson, M., Berntson, G. G., Nouriani, B., & Spiegel, D. (2006) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2005.11.007 · Cited by 1,010 · see citing works
Self-citationTaylor, S. E. (2012) · The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195342819.013.0009 · Cited by 993 · see citing works
Alone in the crowd: The structure and spread of loneliness in a large social network.
Cacioppo, J. T., Fowler, J. H., & Christakis, N. A. (2009) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0016076 · Cited by 844 · see citing works
Self-citationLoneliness and the health of older people
Luanaigh, C. Ó., & LAWLOR, B. A. (2008) · International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/gps.2054 · Cited by 750 · see citing works
Toward a neurology of loneliness
Cacioppo, S., Capitanio, J. P., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2014) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0037618 · Cited by 623 · see citing works
Self-citationLoneliness and Social Isolation
de Jong Gierveld, J., van Tilburg, T., & Dykstra, P. A. (2006) · The Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511606632.027 · Cited by 640 · see citing works
Evolutionary mechanisms for loneliness
Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., & Boomsma, D. I. (2014) · Cognition and Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699931.2013.837379 · Cited by 576 · see citing works
Self-citationSocial isolation, loneliness and depression in young adulthood: a behavioural genetic analysis
Matthews, T., Danese, A., Wertz, J., Odgers, C. L., Ambler, A., Moffitt, T. E., & Arseneault, L. (2016) · Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s00127-016-1178-7 · Cited by 534 · see citing works
Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., Norman, G. J., & Berntson, G. G. (2011) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06028.x · Cited by 554 · see citing works
Self-citationLee, S. L., Pearce, E., Ajnakina, O., Johnson, S., Lewis, G., Mann, F., Pitman, A., Solmi, F., Sommerlad, A., Steptoe, A., et al. (2020) · The Lancet Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30383-7 · Cited by 545 · see citing works
Perceived social isolation, evolutionary fitness and health outcomes: a lifespan approach
Hawkley, L. C., & Capitanio, J. P. (2015) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2014.0114 · Cited by 468 · see citing works
Self-citationLoneliness in the Modern Age: An Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness (ETL)
Cacioppo, J. T., & Cacioppo, S. (2018) · Advances in Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/bs.aesp.2018.03.003 · Cited by 481 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Stability and Change of Loneliness Across the Life Span: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies
Mund, M., Freuding, M. M., Möbius, K., Horn, N., & Neyer, F. J. (2020) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/1088868319850738 · Cited by 417 · see citing works
Netherlands Twin Register: From Twins to Twin Families
Boomsma, D. I., de Geus, E. J. C., Vink, J. M., Stubbe, J. H., Distel, M. A., Hottenga, J., Danielle Posthuma, B., van Beijsterveldt, T. C. E. M., Hudziak, J. J., Bartels, M., et al. (2006) · Twin Research and Human Genetics · doi:10.1375/183242706779462426 · Cited by 401 · see citing works
Self-citationBidirectional Dynamics of Materialism and Loneliness: Not Just a Vicious Cycle
Pieters, R. G. M. (2013) · Journal of Consumer Research · doi:10.1086/671564 · Cited by 327 · see citing works
Cacioppo, J. T., Norris, C. J., Decety, J., Monteleone, G., & Nusbaum, H. (2009) · Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1162/jocn.2009.21007 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
Self-citationVariation in the Heritability of Educational Attainment: An International Meta-Analysis
Branigan, A. R., McCallum, K. J., & Freese, J. (2013) · Social Forces · doi:10.1093/sf/sot076 · Cited by 360 · see citing works
Onset of loneliness in older adults: results of a 28 year prospective study
Aartsen, M., & Jylhä, M. K. (2011) · European Journal of Ageing · doi:10.1007/s10433-011-0175-7 · Cited by 299 · see citing works
Holwerda, T. J., Beekman, A. T. F., Deeg, D. J. H., Stek, M. L., van Tilburg, T. G., Visser, P. J., Schmand, B., Jonker, C., & Schoevers, R. A. (2012) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291711001772 · Cited by 240 · see citing works
Genetics and the Social Science Explanation of Individual Outcomes
Jeremy Freese, A. (2008) · American Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1086/592208 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Loneliness in psychosis: a systematic review
Lim, M. H., Gleeson, J., Álvarez‐Jiménez, M., & Penn, D. L. (2018) · Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s00127-018-1482-5 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Zawadzki, M. J., Graham, J. E., & Gerin, W. (2013) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0029007 · Cited by 224 · see citing works
Brain Structure Links Loneliness to Social Perception
Kanai, R., Bahrami, B., Duchaine, B., Janik, A., Banissy, M. J., & Rees, G. (2012) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.08.045 · Cited by 181 · see citing works
Vanhalst, J., Luyckx, K., & Goossens, L. (2014) · Social Development · doi:10.1111/sode.12019 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
New Ways of Theorizing and Conducting Research in the Field of Loneliness and Social Isolation
Gierveld, J. D. J., van Tilburg, T. G., & Dykstra, P. A. (2018) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781316417867.031 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
Dementia and loneliness: an Australian perspective
Moyle, W., Kellett, U., Ballantyne, A., & Gracia, N. (2011) · Journal of Clinical Nursing · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03549.x · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Smith, A. R., Ribeiro, J. D., Mikolajewski, A. J., Taylor, J. E., Joiner, T. E., & Iacono, W. G. (2012) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2012.01.010 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Social Neuroscience: Progress and Implications for Mental Health
Cacioppo, J. T., Amaral, D. G., Blanchard, J. J., Cameron, J. L., Carter, C. S., Crews, D. P., Fiske, S. T., Heatherton, T. F., Johnson, M. K., Kozak, M. J., et al. (2007) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1745-6916.2007.00032.x · Cited by 132 · see citing works
Self-citationvan Winkel, M., Wichers, M., Collip, D., Jacobs, N., Derom, C. A., Thiery, E. W., Myin‐Germeys, I., & Peeters, F. P. M. L. (2017) · Psychiatry · doi:10.1080/00332747.2016.1256143 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Burholt, V., Winter, B., Aartsen, M., Constantinou, C., Dahlberg, L., Villar, F., Gierveld, J. D. J., Regenmortel, S. V., & Waldegrave, C. (2019) · European Journal of Ageing · doi:10.1007/s10433-019-00506-0 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Arslantaş, H., Adana, F., Ergın, F., Kayar, D., & Acar, G. (2015) · PubMed Central · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Doane, L. D., & Thurston, E. C. (2013) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2013.11.009 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
Erdil, O., & Ertosun, Ö. G. (2011) · Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.09.091 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Walsemann, K. M., Gee, G. C., & Geronimus, A. T. (2009) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.1177/002214650905000106 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Goossens, L., van Roekel, E., Verhagen, M., Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., Maes, M., & Boomsma, D. I. (2015) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691614564878 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Self-citationSpirituality and Autonomic Cardiac Control
Berntson, G. G., Norman, G. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2008) · Annals of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s12160-008-9027-x · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Self-citationDaily cortisol activity, loneliness, and coping efficacy in late adolescence
Drake, E. C., Sladek, M. R., & Doane, L. D. (2015) · International Journal of Behavioral Development · doi:10.1177/0165025415581914 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Genome-Wide Association Study of Loneliness Demonstrates a Role for Common Variation
Gao, J., Davis, L. K., Hart, A. B., Sanchez‐Roige, S., Han, L., Cacioppo, J. T., & Palmer, A. A. (2016) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/npp.2016.197 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Self-citationAn update of the empirical case for the need to belong.
Gere, J., & MacDonald, G. (2010) · The Journal of Individual Psychology · Cited by 96 · see citing works
McHugh, J., Kenny, R., Lawlor, B., Steptoe, A., & Kee, F. (2017) · International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/gps.4509 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Familial Resemblance for Loneliness
Distel, M. A., Rebollo‐Mesa, I., Abdellaoui, A., Derom, C. A., Willemsen, G. A. H. M., Cacioppo, J. T., & Boomsma, D. I. (2010) · Behavior Genetics · doi:10.1007/s10519-010-9341-5 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Self-citationDepressive Symptoms Predict Mucosal Wound Healing
Bosch, J. A., Engeland, C. G., Cacioppo, J. T., & Marucha, P. T. (2007) · Psychosomatic Medicine · doi:10.1097/psy.0b013e318148c682 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Self-citationGenetic Contributions to Loneliness and Their Relevance to the Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness
Spithoven, A., Cacioppo, S., Goossens, L., & Cacioppo, J. (2019) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691618812684 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Self-citationConnectome-based individualized prediction of loneliness
Feng, C., Wang, L., Li, T., & Xu, P. (2019) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsz020 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Loneliness in adolescence: gene × environment interactions involving the serotonin transporter gene
van Roekel, E., Scholte, R. H. J., Verhagen, M., Goossens, L., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2010) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02225.x · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Genetic and environmental contributions to stability in loneliness throughout childhood
Bartels, M., Cacioppo, J. T., Hudziak, J. J., & Boomsma, D. I. (2008) · American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics · doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.30608 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Self-citationWard, M. D., May, P., Normand, C. E. M., Kenny, R. A., & Nolan, A. (2021) · Age and Ageing · doi:10.1093/ageing/afab004 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Changing the narrative: Loneliness as a social justice issue
Barreto, M., Doyle, D. M., & Qualter, P. (2024) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/pops.12965 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
When Pain Does Not Heal: The Common Antecedents and Consequences of Chronic Social and Physical Pain
Riva, P., Wesselmann, E. D., Wirth, J. H., Carter‐Sowell, A. R., & Williams, K. D. (2014) · Basic and Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1080/01973533.2014.917975 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Social neuroscience and its potential contribution to psychiatry
Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., Dulawa, S. C., & Palmer, A. A. (2014) · World Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/wps.20118 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Self-citationAbsence and Presence of Human Interaction: The Relationship Between Loneliness and Empathy
Hu, T., Zheng, X., & Huang, M. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00768 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Physical Contact and Loneliness: Being Touched Reduces Perceptions of Loneliness
Tejada, A. H., Dunbar, R., & Montero, M. (2020) · Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology · doi:10.1007/s40750-020-00138-0 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Rødevand, L. N., Bahrami, S., Frei, O., Lin, A., Gani, O., Shadrin, A. A., Smeland, O. B., Connell, K. S. O., Elvsåshagen, T., Winterton, A., et al. (2021) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-020-01142-4 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Genetic underpinnings of sociability in the general population
Bralten, J., Mota, N. R., Klemann, C. J. H. M., Witte, W. D., Laing, E., Collier, D. A., de Kluiver, H., Bauduin, S., Arango, C., Ayuso‐Mateos, J. L., et al. (2021) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/s41386-021-01044-z · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Longitudinal Genetic Analysis for Loneliness in Dutch Twins
Boomsma, D. I., Cacioppo, J. T., Muthén, B., Asparouhov, T., & Clark, S. (2007) · Twin Research and Human Genetics · doi:10.1375/twin.10.2.267 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Self-citationBreaking the vicious cycle: The interplay between loneliness, metabolic illness, and mental health
Ahmed, M., Cerda, I. H., & Maloof, M. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1134865 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Taylor, S. E., & Broffman, J. I. (2011) · Advances in experimental social psychology · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-385522-0.00001-9 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Jackson, T. (2007) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2007.04.012 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Predicting loneliness with polygenic scores of social, psychological and psychiatric traits
Abdellaoui, A., Nivard, M. G., Hottenga, J., Fedko, I. O., Verweij, K. J. H., Baselmans, B. M. L., Ehli, E. A., Davies, G. E., Bartels, M., Boomsma, D. I., et al. (2018) · Genes Brain & Behavior · doi:10.1111/gbb.12472 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Self-citationSheikh, M. A. (2017) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-017-1090-z · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Genetic and environmental influences on problematic Internet use: A twin study
Deryakulu, D., & Ursavaş, Ö. F. (2014) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.07.038 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Sociality, Spirituality, and Meaning Making: Chicago Health, Aging, and Social Relations Study
Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., Rickett, E. M., & Masi, C. M. (2005) · Review of General Psychology · doi:10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.143 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Mental Representation of Social Connections: Generalizability Extended to Beijing Adults
Hawkley, L. C., Gu, Y., Luo, Y., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2012) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0044065 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Self-citationJia, G., & Yuan, P. (2020) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/s12877-020-01554-3 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Social engagement and chronic disease risk behaviors: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Samuel, L. J., Himmelfarb, C. D., Szklo, M., Seeman, T. E., Echeverría, S. E., & Roux, A. V. D. (2014) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.12.008 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
van Roekel, E., Goossens, L., Scholte, R. H. J., Engels, R. C. M. E., & Verhagen, M. (2011) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02424.x · Cited by 44 · see citing works
A behavior genetic analysis of personality and loneliness
Schermer, J. A., & Martin, N. G. (2018) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2018.11.011 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Conceptualizing loneliness in health research: Philosophical and psychological ways forward.
Power, J. M., Dolezal, L., Kee, F., & LAWLOR, B. A. (2018) · Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology · doi:10.1037/teo0000099 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Predicting Loneliness from Where and What People Do
MacDonald, K. B., Willemsen, G. A. H. M., Boomsma, D. I., & Schermer, J. A. (2020) · Social Sciences · doi:10.3390/socsci9040051 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Self-citationA Behavioral Taxonomy of Loneliness in Humans and Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
Capitanio, J. P., Hawkley, L. C., Cole, S. W., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110307 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Self-citationvan Roekel, E., Verhagen, M., Scholte, R. H. J., Kleinjan, M., Goossens, L., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2013) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0077689 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Boomsma, D. I., Cacioppo, J. T., Slagboom, P. E., & Posthuma, D. (2006) · Behavior Genetics · doi:10.1007/s10519-005-9005-z · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Self-citationTian, Y., Guo, Z. X., Shi, J. R., Bian, Y. L., Han, P., Wang, P., & Gao, F. Q. (2018) · The Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1080/00223980.2018.1468309 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Burke, T. J., Woszidlo, A., & Segrin, C. G. (2013) · Journal of Family Communication · doi:10.1080/15267431.2013.768247 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Düwell, M. (2008) · International library of ethics, law, and the new medicine/The international library of ethics, law, and the new medicine · doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-6764-8 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Loneliness and poor health within families
Segrin, C. G., Burke, T. J., & Dunivan, M. (2012) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/0265407512443434 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Brent, L. J. N., Ruiz-Lambides, A. V., & Platt, M. L. (2017) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18104-4 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Li, J., Zhou, L., HEIJDEN, B. I. J. M. V. D., Li, S., Tao, H., & Guo, Z. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.707667 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Differential transcriptome expression in human nucleus accumbens as a function of loneliness
Canli, T., Wen, R., Wang, X., Mikhailik, A., Yu, L., Fleischman, D. A., Wilson, R. S., & Bennett, D. A. (2016) · Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/mp.2016.186 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Sprangers, M. A. G., Bartels, M., Veenhoven, R., Baas, F., Martin, N. G., Mosing, M. A., Movsas, B., Ropka, M. E., Shinozaki, G., & Swaab, D. F. (2010) · Quality of Life Research · doi:10.1007/s11136-010-9652-2 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Sheikh, M. A. (2017) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2017.12.051 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Biological pathways and genetic mechanisms involved in social functioning
Ordoñana, J. R., Bartels, M., Boomsma, D. I., Cella, D. F., Mosing, M. A., de Oliveira, J. R. M., Patrick, D. L., Veenhoven, R., Wagner, G. G., & Sprangers, M. A. G. (2012) · Quality of Life Research · doi:10.1007/s11136-012-0277-5 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Self-citationRokach, A. (2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-815618-6.00006-0 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Safeness and Treatment Mitigate the Effect of Loneliness on Satisfaction With Elderly Care
Kajonius, P., & Kazemi, A. (2015) · The Gerontologist · doi:10.1093/geront/gnu170 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
El sentimiento de soledad en adultos
Jiménez, J. L. C., Gallego, M. M. V., Villa, E. H., & Echeverri, Á. Q. (2013) · Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Schermer, J. A., Colodro‐Conde, L., Grasby, K. L., Hickie, I. B., Burns, J. M., Ligthart, L., Willemsen, G. A. H. M., Trull, T. J., Martin, N. G., & Boomsma, D. I. (2020) · Twin Research and Human Genetics · doi:10.1017/thg.2020.62 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Self-citationCorrelations between Dementia and Loneliness
Karska, J., Pszczołowska, M., Gładka, A., & Leszek, J. (2023) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms25010271 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Neurogenetics and Epigenetics of Loneliness
Bowirrat, A., Elman, I., Dennen, C. A., Gondré-Lewis, M. C., Cadet, J. L., Khalsa, J., Baron, D., Soni, D., Gold, M. S., McLaughlin, T., et al. (2023) · Psychology Research and Behavior Management · doi:10.2147/prbm.s423802 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
OXTRpolymorphism predicts social relationships through its effects on social temperament
Creswell, K. G., Wright, A. G. C., Troxel, W., Ferrell, R. E., Flory, J. D., & Manuck, S. B. (2014) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsu132 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
McDaniels, B. W., & Subramanian, I. (2022) · International review of neurobiology · doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2022.03.003 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
McMillan, F. D. (2016) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.09.013 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Genetic and environmental causes of variation in perceived loneliness in young people
Waaktaar, T., & Torgersen, S. O. (2012) · American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics · doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32064 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Chou, K., Cacioppo, J. T., Meena Kumari, B., & Song, Y. (2013) · American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2012.11.002 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Genetics of Political Attitudes and Behavior: Claims and Refutations
Joseph, J. (2010) · Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1891/1559-4343.12.3.200 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
- Authors
- Boomsma, D. I., Willemsen, G., Dolan, C. V., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T.
- Affiliations
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
- University of Amsterdam (NL)
- University of Chicago (US)
- Corresponding author
- Boomsma, Dorret I.
- Venue
- Behavior Genetics
- Published
- 2005-11
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 745-752
- ISSN
- 0001-8244 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3297
- OpenAlex
- W2113803662
- Cited by
- 191
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 3.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- research.vu.nl
- Licence
- other-oa
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Behavior Genetics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UvA-DARE (University of Amsterdam) (publishedVersion)
- VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (904-61-193, 904-61-090, 985-10002, 575-25-006)
- National Institute on Aging (P01AG18911, P01AG018911)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Keywords
- loneliness, heritability, genetic architecture, twin studies, shared environment, sex differences, age differences, birth cohort, young adults, adult twins
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Environment, Genetics, Behavioral, Health Surveys, Humans, Loneliness, Longitudinal Studies, Netherlands, Registries
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
