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MONDAY, June 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has not led to an overall increase in loneliness among Americans, according to a study published online June 22 in American Psychologist<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Martina Luchetti, Ph.D., from Florida State University in Tallahassee, and colleagues examined changes in loneliness among a nationwide sample of 1,545 American adults (45 percent women; mean age, 53.68 years). Assessments were conducted three times: in late January\/early February 2020 (before the outbreak); in late March (during the President’s initial “15 Days to Slow the Spread” campaign); and in late April (during most states’ “stay-at-home” policies).<\/p>\n
The researchers observed no significant mean-level changes in loneliness across the three assessments. Respondents perceived increased support from others during the follow-up period. Compared with younger age groups, older adults reported less loneliness overall but had an increase in loneliness during the acute phase of the outbreak. There was a leveling in their loneliness after the issuance of stay-at-home orders. At baseline, individuals living alone and those with at least one chronic condition reported feeling lonelier, but this did not increase during the implementation of social distancing measures.<\/p>\n
“Despite some detrimental impact on vulnerable individuals, in the present sample, there was no large increase in loneliness but remarkable resilience in response to COVID-19,” the authors write.<\/p>\n