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Health Consequences of Loneliness: A Review of the Literature
Journal of American College Health
Short Title: J. Am. Coll. Health
Format: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2010/07/09/
Pages: 162 - 167
Sources ID: 114181
Visibility: Public (group default)
Abstract: (Show)
Reviews the literature on loneliness-prevention interventions that have their common foundation in empirical research. Two loneliness-fostering conditions are identified: absence of an attachment figure and a sense of not belonging. Findings indicate that feelings of loneliness are an alarm signal that the individual's social relations are seriously deficient. Loneliness can be detrimental to one's mental health, can be a precursor for depression, may jeopardize a person's psychological sense of well-being, and may increase the risk of suicide. Causes of loneliness are presented. Self-reports of loneliness are most common among adolescents and the elderly. Intervention methods are described, including implications and interventions for college students, and the limitations of the effectiveness of intervention approaches are mentioned. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)