Relations of perceived causes and the experience of loneliness

Abstract

Previous research yielded five factors which comprise the experience of loneliness, namely, Emotional distress, Social inadequacy and alienation, Growth and discovery. Interpersonal isolation, and Self-alienation. The perceived causes of loneliness were grouped into factors of Personal inadequacies, Developmental deficits, Unfulfilling intimate relationships, Relocation and significant separations, and Social marginality. Using principal components factor analysis, the relations of perceived causes and the various aspects of loneliness were examined for 295 men and 338 women. All five of the perceived causes appeared to contribute to experienced loneliness. While scores on Emotional distress were strongly related to all five factors of perceived causes, the other four factors were differentially related.