Solitary confinement: Pandemic edition!

The COVID-19 pandemic didn't just isolate us physically — it reshaped how we experience loneliness. While much has been said about adults feeling lonelier during lockdowns, most research has fallen short in capturing the full picture. The Developmental and Educational Psychology Group (Denis Gerstorf) investigated face-to-face data from over 7,000 German adults to map how loneliness evolved before and during the pandemic. The findings reveal three distinct patterns — from those untouched by loneliness to those hit hard during the crisis — and identify key risk factors like reduced social contact, depression symptoms, and lack of support. Interestingly, older adults were not uniquely vulnerable. The results point toward the importance of building social resilience, especially for women and those facing acute stress, to better navigate future social disruptions. Find out more in their Scientific Reports Article!

Abstract

Most research on adults’ vulnerability to loneliness during the pandemic has been of limited quality. This study aimed to overcome previous limitations by examining loneliness trajectories in German adults from a population-based cohort during the pandemic using face-to-face assessment, identifying risk factors and highlighting those particularly relevant to older adults. Analyses included two measurement points before and two during the pandemic, combining data from the population-based Gutenberg Health Study and COVID-19 Study (N = 7001; baseline: M_age = 51.72, SD_age = 10.04). Growth mixture models identified distinct loneliness trajectories. Factors associated with these trajectories were tested by a multinomial logistic regression model including sociodemographic, individual, and pandemic-related predictors and interactions with age. Overall, mean loneliness increased. Three distinct classes were identified: No Loneliness (59.3%), Onset (23.3%), and Temporary Increase (17.4%). In comparison to No Loneliness, Onset was associated with reduction in social contact during the pandemic and Temporary Increase with sex, high school degree, pre-pandemic depression symptoms, pandemic-related stressors and social support. No unique risk factors for older adults were found. Interventions that strengthen one’s adaptability to (acute) stressors and promote social resources with special attention to women may be a promising way to prevent loneliness during the pandemic.