Loneliness from young adulthood to old age: explaining age differences in loneliness

Hawkley, Louise C.; Buecker, Susanne; Kaiser, Till; Luhmann, Maike

doi:10.1177/0165025420971048

Cited by 281Health disparities and outcomesAging and Gerontology ResearchAttachment and Relationship Dynamics

Loneliness from young adulthood to old age: explaining age differences in loneliness

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Hawkley, Louise C., Buecker, Susanne, Kaiser, Till, Luhmann, Maike·2022·International Journal of Behavioral Development

DOI 10.1177/0165025420971048PMC PMC8734589

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Abstract

Prior research in non-U.S. samples has found a complex nonlinear relationship between loneliness and age. This research has shown that established predictors of loneliness - poor health, being unmarried, living alone, and having infrequent social interactions - help to explain age differences in loneliness. However, while some variables were found to be universal predictors of loneliness at all ages, others were relevant in specific age groups only. In this study, we describe age differences in frequency of loneliness from age 18 to 89+ years in the U.S., and examine age differences in predictors of loneliness from age-specificity and age-normative perspectives. We used cross-sectional nationally representative data from the General Social Survey (N = 2,477) and found a nonlinear relationship between age and loneliness that closely resembles prior research. However, we found no evidence for age-specific predictors of loneliness. Household income, household size, marital status, health, and frequency of socializing were "universal" predictors of loneliness; their associations with loneliness did not differ in strength with age. Our hypothesis that individuals who deviated from age-specific norms would experience more intense loneliness was not supported. Implications for research and loneliness interventions are discussed.

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Age itself was not found to be significantly related to loneliness; rather, age differences in predictive factors such as widowhood and poor health seemed to explain the observed differences.
“Age itself was not found to be significantly related to loneliness, but rather age differences in predictive factors (e.g., widowhood, poor health) seemed to explain the observed differences (Hawkley et al., 2022).”
From Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an internet-based CBT intervention for loneliness in older adults: A pilot RCT (2024) · cites this paper as Hawkley et al., 2022

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How people think about being alone shapes their experience of loneliness
Rodriguez, M., Schertz, K. E., & Kross, E. F. (2025) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-025-56764-3 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Effects of biopsychosocial factors on the association between loneliness and mental health risks during the COVID-19 lockdown
Mégalakaki, O., & Kokou‐Kpolou, C. K. (2021) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-021-02246-w · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“Based on previous studies (Bu et al., 2020a; Buecker et al., 2020; Groarke et al., 2020; Grossman et al., 2021; Hawkley et al., 2020), we considered 10 potential biopsychosocial factors: sex, age, place of residence, working arrangements, living conditions, marital status, presence of children,…”
BackgroundMethod
Creating arts and crafting positively predicts subjective wellbeing
Keyes, H., Gradidge, S., Forwood, S., Gibson, N., Harvey, A. J., Kis, E., Mutsatsa, K., Ownsworth, R., Roeloffs, S., & Zawisza, M. J. (2024) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1417997 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Social connection interventions and depression in young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Alvarez, C. V., Mirza, L., Das‐Munshi, J., & Oswald, T. K. (2024) · Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s00127-024-02722-1 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“Research indicates that experiences of loneliness are highest in younger adults and older people [10, 11].”
The impact of narcolepsy on social relationships in young adults
Davidson, R. D., Biddle, K. D., Nassan, M. M., Scammell, T. E., & Zhou, E. S. (2022) · Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine · doi:10.5664/jcsm.10212 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“Evidence suggests that infrequent social contact is associated with loneliness across young adulthood and into adulthood,(9) and recent findings indicate that young adulthood is a period of increased loneliness.(10,11) Early research on the importance of social relationships focused on relationship status (single vs m…”
Loneliness and Alcohol-Related Problems among College Students Who Report Binge Drinking Behavior: The Moderating Role of Food and Alcohol Disturbance
Herchenroeder, L., Post, S. M., Stock, M. L., & Yeung, E. W. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph192113954 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“Although loneliness can affect individuals across the lifespan, it is notably prevalent among young adults [6,7].”
Background
Effectiveness of home-based interventions in improving loneliness and social connectedness among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Chua, C. M. S., Chua, J. Y. X., & Shorey, S. (2023) · Aging & Mental Health · doi:10.1080/13607863.2023.2237919 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“Older adults in this review were defined as individuals aged ≥ 50 years old as this age group was known to have a higher risk of loneliness (Hawkley et al., 2022).”
Background
The Impact of Interaction Time and Verbal Engagement with Personal Voice Assistants on Alleviating Loneliness among Older Adults: An Exploratory Study
Yan, C., Johnson, K., & Jones, V. K. (2024) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21010100 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Prevalence of Loneliness in Older Adults: A Scoping Review
Schroyen, S., Janssen, N., Duffner, L. A., Veenstra, M. Y., Pyrovolaki, E., Salmon, É., & Adam, S. (2023) · Health & Social Care in the Community · doi:10.1155/2023/7726692 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
“A study among the general population in the US showed that a high level of loneliness is observed among young adults (<30 years), middle age (50–60 years), and very old age (>80 years) [2].”
Loneliness, children's support, and demand for socialized elderly services: Empirical findings from China
Huang, Y., Ma, Y., Yang, S., & Ma, J. (2024) · Economic Analysis and Policy · doi:10.1016/j.eap.2024.08.024 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Effectiveness of chronic disease self-management education (CDSME) programs to reduce loneliness
Smith, M. L., Chen, E., Lau, C. A., Davis, D., Simmons, W. J., & Merianos, A. L. (2022) · Chronic Illness · doi:10.1177/17423953221113604 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“In the current study, greater improvements in loneliness were observed among participants who were younger, which may imply the complexities of social connections, social responsibilities, and the demands for quality social interactions among those in their 50s relative to those in their 70s.(44,45) Further, greater i…”
Result
Reciprocal relationship between physical and social frailty among community-dwelling older adults
Misu, Y., Katayama, O., Lee, S., Makino, K., Harada, K., Tomida, K., Morikawa, M., Yamaguchi, R., Nishijima, C., Fujii, K., et al. (2023) · Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics · doi:10.1016/j.archger.2023.105066 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Joint trajectories of physical frailty and social frailty and associations with adverse outcomes: A prospective cohort study
Liu, Q., Huang, Y., Gao, S., Wang, B., Li, Y., Si, H., Zhou, W., Yu, J., Chen, H., & Wang, C. (2024) · Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics · doi:10.1016/j.archger.2024.105406 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Einsamkeit im Kindes- und Jugendalter. Zur Verbreitung eines Risikofaktors für die psychische Gesundheit unter 11- bis 15-jährigen deutschen Schülerinnen und Schülern
Schütz, R., & Bilz, L. (2023) · Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz · doi:10.1007/s00103-023-03728-x · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“Einsamkeit wird häufig als ein Phänomen des Alters betrachtet [7].”
Background
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Loneliness Among Older Adults: The Role of Income and Education as Mediators
Taylor, H. O., Chen, Y., Tsuchiya, K., Cudjoe, T., Qin, W., Nguyen, A. W., & Roy, A. (2024) · Innovation in Aging · doi:10.1093/geroni/igae068 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“…find no significant differences in racial/ethnic differences in loneliness among older adults (Compernolle et al., 2021; Greenfield & Russell, 2011; Hawkley et al., 2022; Shovestul et al., 2020; Taylor, 2020), whereas others have found Black older adults are lonelier compared to White and…”
BackgroundInfluential
The Relationship Between Internet Use for Social Purposes, Loneliness, and Depressive Symptoms Among the Oldest Old
Rennoch, G., Schlomann, A., & Zank, S. (2023) · Research on Aging · doi:10.1177/01640275221150017 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
“The group of oldest old (80+ years) is growing at a faster pace than the other age groups (Eurostat, 2019) and showing a high prevalence of loneliness (Hawkley et al., 2022) and depression (Sjöberg et al.”
Background
Do associations between sense of purpose, social support, and loneliness differ across the adult lifespan?
Hill, P. L., Olaru, G., & Allemand, M. (2023) · Psychology and Aging · doi:10.1037/pag0000733 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Solidão e sua associação com indicadores sociodemográficos e de saúde em adultos e idosos brasileiros: ELSI-Brasil
Sandy, P. A., Borim, F. S. A., & Neri, A. L. (2023) · Cadernos de Saúde Pública · doi:10.1590/0102-311xpt213222 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
“…suas expectati-vas em relação às suas relações interpessoais e em compensar o sentimento de solidão por apresentar mais limitações físicas e por vivenciar mais perdas sociais que os adultos mais jovens, dificultando seu engajamento em novas atividades e a construção de novas relações 4,31 .”
Background
Frailty and Loneliness in Older Adults: A Narrative Review
Gheorghe, A.-C., Bălăşescu, E., Hulea, I., Turcu, G., Amariei, M. I., Covaciu, A.-V., Apostol, C.-A., Asan, M., Badea, A.-C., Angelușiu, A.-C., et al. (2024) · Geriatrics · doi:10.3390/geriatrics9050119 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
“The prevalence of loneliness worldwide varies widely; there are authors who have shown that 30% to 50% or even more of seniors are affected by loneliness and social isolation [24,26–28].”
Background
Impact of the Health-Smart Holistic Health Program: A CBPR Approach to Improve Health and Prevent Adverse Outcomes for Black Older Adults
Tucker, C. M., Wippold, G. M., Roncoroni, J., Henry, M. A., Klein, K. G., Garrepy, M., Ateyah, W. A., Burwell, A., Walker, H., Clements, L., et al. (2022) · Journal of Prevention and Health Promotion · doi:10.1177/26320770221099586 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“, loneliness decreases over time and then begins to increase around the age of 70), though much of the loneliness literature is derived from predominantly non-Hispanic White samples, and little is known about the age-related trajectory of loneliness among Black adults in the United States (Hawkley et al., 2020).”
BackgroundInfluential
The impact of extreme heat on older regional and rural Australians: A systematic review
Harvey, G., Bain‐Donohue, S., & Dewi, S. P. (2024) · Australian Journal of Rural Health · doi:10.1111/ajr.13094 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an internet-based CBT intervention for loneliness in older adults: A pilot RCT
Dworschak, C., Heim, E., Tröster, A., Grunder, C., & Maercker, A. (2024) · Journal of Affective Disorders Reports · doi:10.1016/j.jadr.2023.100692 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Loneliness dynamics and physical health symptomology among midlife adults in daily life.
Witzel, D. D., Bogart, K. V., Harrington, E. E., Turner, S. G., & Almeida, D. M. (2024) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/hea0001377 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
“Perhaps resulting from these social role and network changes, recent work noted that loneliness follows a nonlinear trajectoryacrossthe lifespan, with upticks in mid-life (Hawkley et al., 2022).”
Vulnerability to loneliness among fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder: The role of interpersonal and familial resources
George‐Levi, S., Laslo‐Roth, R., & Ben-Yaakov, L. (2023) · Family Process · doi:10.1111/famp.12877 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Equal Opportunities in Aging: Income Level Moderates the Relationship Between Infrequent Participation in Formal Social Activities and Loneliness Among Older Adults
Gannot, R. N., & Peretz-Dayan, H. (2023) · Journal of Applied Gerontology · doi:10.1177/07334648231175429 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Volunteering, loneliness and perceived social isolation: evidence from a representative sample of middle-aged and older adults in Germany
Richardson, A., König, H., & Hajek, A. (2023) · Aging & Mental Health · doi:10.1080/13607863.2023.2222676 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
“One study’s cross-sectional findings showed that middle-aged adults generally felt less lonely than younger and older adults (Hawkley et al., 2022).”
Background
Mattering and Self-Esteem as Bulwarks Against the Consequences of Financial Strain for Loneliness in Later Life: Differentiating Between- and Within-Person Processes
Bierman, A., Upenieks, L., Lee, Y., & Mehrabi, F. (2023) · Research on Aging · doi:10.1177/01640275231221326 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
“Loneliness is especially relevant to the study of aging because loneliness increases with age in later-life (Cohen-Mans ﬁ eld et al., 2016; Hawkley et al., 2022), and these age-related increases have grown stronger over time (Newmyer et al., 2022).”
Background
Reducing Loneliness through the Power of Practicing Together: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Online Dyadic Socio-Emotional vs. Mindfulness-Based Training
Matthaeus, H., Godara, M., Silveira, S., Hecht, M., Voelkle, M., & Singer, T. (2024) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21050570 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“While research findings have been mixed regarding the relationship between age and loneliness [6–8], recent studies have consistently noted a trend toward increased loneliness among young adults [9,10], with younger individuals often reporting the highest levels of loneliness [11,12].”
Result
Experiences of loneliness and social isolation among young people with chronic physical conditions: A thematic synthesis of qualitative studies
Miao, Y., Jasim, N., Guha, C., Sluiter, A., Owen, K. B., Yudianto, B., Lim, M. H., Smith, B. J., & Manera, K. (2024) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1002/jad.12445 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Trajectories of loneliness in later life – Evidence from a 10-year English panel study
Gessa, G. D., Bordone, V., & Arpino, B. (2025) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117703 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“Moreover, while all age groups experience loneliness, a generally higher prevalence is observed among older adults in most countries (Barreto et al., 2021; Dykstra, 2009; Hawkley et al., 2022; Surkalim et al., 2022).”
Early-life circumstances and late life loneliness trajectories among Finnish older adults
Tiilikainen, E., Aartsen, M., & Kraav, S. (2024) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/s12877-024-04967-6 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“Several studies have shown that the highest prevalence of loneliness occurs in the youngest ( < 30) and oldest ( > 75) age groups [9, 10]; others find a linear decrease in loneliness with age worldwide [11]; others indicate that age differences in the prevalence of loneliness depend on the country…”
Background
Loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from five European countries
Rebechi, A., Lepinteur, A., Clark, A. E., Rohde, N., Vögele, C., & D’Ambrosio, C. (2024) · Economics & Human Biology · doi:10.1016/j.ehb.2024.101427 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“Some contributions suggest a U-shape relationship, with greater loneliness among the youngest and oldest (Beutel et al., 2017; Luhmann and Hawkley, 2016; Hawkley, 2022), but others instead that loneliness rises with age (Yang and Victor, 2011).”
Background
Loneliness and psychological well-being among community-dwelling elderly people: the mediating role of death anxiety
Sreelekha, N., & Sia, S. K. (2022) · Working with Older People · doi:10.1108/wwop-08-2021-0042 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Differences in Loneliness and Social Isolation among Community-Dwelling Older Adults by Household Type: A Nationwide Survey in Japan
Oe, N., & Tadaka, E. (2023) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare11111647 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
With You Until the End of the Age? A Longitudinal Study of Changes in Religiosity and Loneliness in Later Life
Upenieks, L. (2022) · Research on Aging · doi:10.1177/01640275221104720 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“Looking at the entirety of the life course using pooled data from the General Social Survey, Hawkley et al. (2020) found that the age distribution of loneliness in the United States followed a non-linear pattern, with higher levels of loneliness in the oldest old (>75 years) and young adults (<30 years) with an additi…”
BackgroundMethodInfluential
Navigating the theoretical landscape of loneliness research: How interdisciplinary synergy contributes to further conceptualizations
Delafontaine, H., Gasse, D. V., & Mortelmans, D. (2023) · Journal of Family Theory & Review · doi:10.1111/jftr.12492 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
User-centered development of an internet-based CBT intervention for the treatment of loneliness in older individuals
Dworschak, C., Heim, E., Kuhn, N., Schwager, J., Tröster, A., & Maercker, A. R. A. (2024) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2024.100720 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
The ‘loneliness’ epidemic: a new social determinant of health?
Ng, I. K. (2024) · Internal Medicine Journal · doi:10.1111/imj.16356 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Social anxiety and smartphone addiction among college students: the mediating role of loneliness
Zhou, X., & Feng, B. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1621900 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
“Loneliness may exist throughout an individual ’ s life, but it is more common in the adolescent population (45, 46).”
Actor and Partner Effect of Loneliness on Episodic Memory and Verbal Fluency: A Dyadic Multilevel Analysis of Romantic Couples Across 28 Countries
Luchetti, M., Ledermann, T., Aschwanden, D., Nikitin, J., O’Súilleabháin, P. S., Stéphan, Y., Terracciano, A., & Sutin, A. R. (2022) · The Journals of Gerontology Series B · doi:10.1093/geronb/gbac086 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
The Emotional Burden of Loneliness and its Association with Mental Health Outcomes
Lazuras, L., Ypsilanti, A., & Mullings, E. L. (2024) · International Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s12529-023-10255-1 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“…over and above the effects of loneliness frequency and socio-demographic factors that have been associated with loneliness in previous research [e.g., 21, 22], such as sex and age differences, and objective measures of social isolation as reflected in measures of one’s social network size [10].”
Background
How loneliness increased among different age groups during COVID-19: a longitudinal analysis
Köster, F., & Lipps, O. (2024) · European Journal of Ageing · doi:10.1007/s10433-023-00798-3 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Lonely and Self-Centered? A Meta-Analysis of the Link Between Prosociality and Loneliness
Malon, M., Gajos, K., Rajchert, J. M., Holt‐Lunstad, J., & Okruszek, Ł. (2024) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/01461672241295263 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“…across studies, a recent cross-sectional study based on a U.S. citizens’ sample noted a significant shift: In 2014, older adults were identified as the loneliest age group, whereas data from 2018 indicated that younger individuals had become the most affected by loneliness (Hawkley et al., 2022).”
“No One Told You Life Was Gonna Be This Way”: A Qualitative Exploration of Friendship Expectations and Reality in University Life
Priestley, M. J., Slack, H. R., Islam, M. M., Fuhrmann, D., Long, E., Crook, S., Foster, J., Homer, S. R., & Byrom, N. (2025) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1002/jad.12489 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Loneliness and Social Isolation in Palliative Care: A Call to Action
Ritchie, C. S., & Kotwal, A. (2023) · Journal of Palliative Medicine · doi:10.1089/jpm.2023.0425 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Loneliness Among Older Caregivers: An Analysis of the 2020 California Health Interview Survey
Chen, X. S., Lydon, E. A., Mathias, V. F., Rogers, W. A., Mudar, R. A., & Raj, M. (2024) · Journal of Applied Gerontology · doi:10.1177/07334648241301484 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Poor health, depression, and physical chronic conditions (e.g., lung disease and stroke) are also signi ﬁ cant risk factors for loneliness (Dahlberg et al., 2022; Hawkley et al., 2022; Solmi et al., 2020).”
Institutional, neighborhood, and life stressors on loneliness among older adults
Tsuchiya, K., Thierry, A. D., & Taylor, H. O. (2025) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-025-21463-7 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Recent research among adults in the US found that loneliness is highest at middle age and among adults > 80 years of age [10].”
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of mechanistic loneliness interventions for older adults
Coppola, A. M., Ibrahim, S., Bloch, N., Sah, E., Mehta, S., Goel, S., Calkins, J., Hernandez, V., & Lee, E. (2025) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/nyas.70046 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Collective loneliness: The impact of the social network on loneliness and depression during the coronavirus pandemic in older Europeans
Altweck, L., Freund, J., Hahm, S., Schmidt, S., & Tomczyk, S. (2023) · International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/gps.6045 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Loneliness in Later Life as Existential Inequality
Neves, B. B., Sanders, A., Warren, N., & Ko, P. (2023) · Sociology · doi:10.1177/00380385231208649 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Psychosocial and behavioural predictors of immune response to influenza vaccination: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Ballesio, A., Zagaria, A., Violani, C., & Lombardo, C. (2023) · Health Psychology Review · doi:10.1080/17437199.2023.2208652 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“This may be particularly important in populations with high rates of loneliness and weak immunological vaccine response such as older adults (Hawkley et al., 2020).”
Background
Loneliness across the COVID-19 pandemic: Risk factors in Norwegian young people
Hysing, M., Petrie, K. J., Harvey, A. G., Lønning, K.-J., & Sivertsen, B. (2023) · Clinical Psychology in Europe · doi:10.32872/cpe.10483 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“There are still relatively few interventions to reduce loneliness among young adults (Hawkley et al., 2022).”
Background
Acceptability of a behavioural intervention to mitigate the psychological impacts of COVID-19 restrictions in older people with long-term conditions: a qualitative study
Shearsmith, L., Coventry, P. A., Sloan, C., Henry, A. F., Newbronner, E., Littlewood, E., Bailey, D., Gascoyne, S., Burke, L., Ryde, E., et al. (2023) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064694 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
A machine-learning approach to model risk and protective factors of vulnerability to depression
Liu, J. M., Gao, M., Zhang, R., Wong, N. M. L., Wu, J., Chan, C. C. H., & Lee, T. M. C. (2024) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.048 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Community-level determinants of loneliness and social isolation: a population-based cohort study across younger and older adults
Meehan, D. E., Clare, P. J., Grunseit, A. C., & Merom, D. (2025) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1526166 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Loneliness Is Associated With Lower Self- and Clinician-Rated Levels of Personality Functioning
Kunz, J. I., Frey, A., Bertsch, K., Barton, B. B., Blei, L., Schirle, H. M., Konvalin, F., Jobst, A., Musil, R., Padberg, F., et al. (2023) · Journal of Personality Disorders · doi:10.1521/pedi.2023.37.6.724 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Why Loneliness Matters in Clinical Practice: A Primer for Clinical- and Neuro-Psychologists.
Badcock, J. C., Preece, D. A., & Badcock, A. C. (2023) · Journal of Emotion and Psychopathology · doi:10.55913/joep.v1i1.21 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
The Social Context of PSRs
Greenwood, D., & Aldoukhov, A. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197650677.013.10 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
MEASUREMENT INVARIANCE OF THE SHORT UCLA LONELINESS SCALE IN SPANISH AND PERUVIAN OLD PEOPLE: LATENT MEAN DIFFERENCES AND EVIDENCE FOR DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS ON PERCEIVED HEALTH
Caycho‐Rodríguez, T., Tomás, J. M., Ventura‐León, J., Cadena, C. H. G., Reyes-Bossio, M. A., Moreta‐Herrera, R., Maguiña, J. L., & Vilca, L. W. (2023) · Psychological Thought · doi:10.37708/psyct.v16i1.712 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
A comprehensive scoping review of intergenerational dance programmes for cohorts with a generational gap
O’Reilly, S., Bhriain, O. N., Dillon, S., & Clifford, A. M. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0311564 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Pre-pandemic Psychobiological Features Predict Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Loneliness
Baliyan, S., Cimadevilla, J. M., Pulopulos, M. M., Castillejo, L., Sandi, C., & Venero, C. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.874232 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“Loneliness can affect all age groups, but its prevalence is higher in young (18–30 years) and elderly (>80 years) adults (Hawkley et al., 2022).”
Background
Understanding factors associated with the trajectory of subjective cognitive complaints in groups with similar objective cognitive trajectories
Cacciamani, F., Bercu, A., Bouteloup, V., Grasset, L., Planche, V., Chêne, G., Dufouil, C., & for the MEMENTO Cohort Study Group (2023) · Alzheimer s Research & Therapy · doi:10.1186/s13195-023-01348-w · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Understanding evidence and provision of services around social isolation and loneliness of military widow/ers: A scoping review
Johnson, A., Moreland, M., Kiernan, M. D., Collins, T. L., & Wilson, G. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0293182 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
The impact of social media use on the relationship between social isolation and connectedness during COVID-19 in Hong Kong
Rochelle, T. L., & Chan, L.-S. (2024) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-024-03389-6 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“This supports previous research observing greater social media engagement among younger populations and lower levels of social isolation (Hawkley et al., 2022; Twenge & Campbell, 2019).”

Predictors of Loneliness by Age Decade
Nguyen, T. T., Lee, E., Daly, R. E., Wu, T., Tang, Y., Tu, X. M., Patten, R. V., Jeste, D. V., & Palmer, B. W. (2020) · The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.4088/jcp.20m13378 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Age differences in loneliness from late adolescence to oldest old age
Luhmann, M., & Hawkley, L. C. (2016) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/dev0000117 · Cited by 758 · see citing works
Predictors of loneliness across the age-span
Lasgaard, M., & Friis, K. (2015) · European Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckv176.204
Risk factors for loneliness: The high relative importance of age versus other factors
Shovestul, B. J., Han, J., Germine, L. T., & Dodell‐Feder, D. (2020) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0229087 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
Do We Become More Lonely With Age? A Coordinated Data Analysis of Nine Longitudinal Studies
Graham, E. K., Beck, E. D., Jackson, K., Yoneda, T. B., McGhee, C., Pieramici, L., Atherton, O. E., Luo, J., Willroth, E. C., Steptoe, A., et al. (2024) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/09567976241242037 · Cited by 67 · see citing works

Authors: Hawkley, L. C., Buecker, S., Kaiser, T., & Luhmann, M.
Affiliations: University of Chicago (US)
Ruhr University Bochum (DE)
Corresponding author: Hawkley, Louise C.
ORCID: Hawkley, Louise C.
Buecker, Susanne
Kaiser, Till
Luhmann, Maike
Venue: International Journal of Behavioral Development
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2020-11-15
Volume: 46
Issue: 1
Pages: 39-49
ISSN: 0165-0254 (ISSN-L)
1464-0651
DOI: 10.1177/0165025420971048
PMC: PMC8734589
OpenAlex: W3106297590
Cited by: 281
References: 47
Citations by year: 2026: 55 · 2025: 73 · 2024: 62 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 1
FWCI: 12.58
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: International Journal of Behavioral Development (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Grant LU 2053/2-1)
Topics: Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Keywords: loneliness, age differences, life course, predictors of loneliness, marital status, living alone, social interaction, household income, household size, older adults, young adults

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Loneliness from young adulthood to old age: explaining age differences in loneliness

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