Study finds loneliness to be a strong predictor of cognitive decline
UC Davis psychology researchers separate the ‘subjective and objective aspects’ of social connection
By JOANNA ABRAHAM— science@theaggie.org
In everyday conversation, “social isolation” and “loneliness” are often used synonymously. Tomiko Yoneda, assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Psychology, differentiates the two as different concepts.
“Loneliness is feeling alone, while social isolation is being alone,” said Yoneda.
The leader of a multi-institution national collaboration, Yoneda’s team discovered that loneliness can also serve as a predictor of cognitive decline.
When a person feels disconnected from others, they are said to be experiencing loneliness. They may have relationships with others, but if those relationships do not fulfill them, they can still feel lonely. Social isolation, on the other hand, is objective; it occurs when a person is not involved in relationships with others, according to the CDC.
This study analyzed data from 11 existing longitudinal studies, which track participants over time. Researchers assessed subjective feelings of loneliness by asking questions about participants’ emotional states.
“We asked questions such as: ‘Do you feel lonely?’ ‘Do you feel like you belong?’ ‘Do you feel upset?’” Yoneda said.
To measure social isolation, researchers awarded participants a point for satisfying any of the following criteria: being unmarried or not cohabiting with a partner; having less than monthly contact with children, immediate family members or friends; or not participating in social organizations or religious groups. Contact was defined broadly to include face-to-face communication, digital messaging and phone calls. Higher scores indicated higher social isolation, according to the study.
Yoneda commented on the rationale behind separating the effects of loneliness and social isolation in the study.
“We wanted to parse apart the subjective versus objective aspects of social connection,” Yoneda said.
The study found that loneliness is strongly associated with a higher risk of mortality and cognitive impairment, which can include dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in severe cases, while social isolation was not. Among individuals who developed cognitive impairment, those experiencing loneliness had a lower likelihood of recovery.
“The biggest finding that we had in the study was that loneliness was more important for cognitive aging outcomes and for mortality risk compared to social isolation, or being alone,” Yoneda said.
In other words, a person who is relatively socially isolated is unlikely to experience the aforementioned negative health effects if they do not perceive themselves to be lonely. Although the study focused on older adults, loneliness is not limited to later life. The study suggests that loneliness is most common among adults 65 and older and among people under 25 — the age range of most college students. Moreover, the researchers found that the feeling of being connected to a community matters more than the actual number of social contacts a person has.
Several UC Davis students shared how they build that sense of connection in their everyday lives.
Tiana Gatchalian, a second-year global disease biology major, shared how she combats loneliness by spending quality time with family and friends.
“I’m lucky to live close to home, so I can often visit close family and friends,” Gatchalian said. “[While at school], any way that I can spend time with college friends is good, [whether it’s] visiting their living area, going to the gym together, or sharing a meal together.”
Samantha Dang, a second-year human biology major, reflected on her involvement in student organizations and shared advice for anyone who may be experiencing loneliness in college. Dang is a snowboarder with the Davis Alpine Ski and Snowboard Team and a baritone saxophone player in the UC Davis Marching Band.
“My advice would be to check out some student groups in something you are interested in,” Dang said. “I joined the UC Davis Marching Band, Navigators, and Davis Alpine Ski and Snowboard Team, where I found the majority of my friends just by hanging around.”
Yoneda concluded her remarks with a key takeaway from the study.
“In terms of what a general audience can take away — social connection is actually really important. It’s important to feel that you belong,” Yoneda said.
For college students settling into a new environment, Yoneda’s takeaway highlights the importance of finding the people and places where they feel they belong to foster the kind of connection the researchers found matters most as people age.
Written by: Joanna Abraham — science@theaggie.org