Loneliness Is Associated with Depressive Affect, But Not with Most Other Symptoms of Depression in Community-Dwelling Individuals: A Network Analysis.

ABSTRACT: There is a strong relationship between loneliness and depression, but depression is a heterogeneous disorder. We examined the profile of depressive symptoms most strongly related to loneliness. Study participants were 2007 community-dwelling individuals (median age 31 years, 70.4% women) who completed an online survey on loneliness (single-item question: "never", "sometimes", "often"), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and demographics. The relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms was evaluated with linear regression and network analyses. The prevalence of loneliness (sometimes or often) and of moderate depression was 47.1% and 24.0%, respectively. Loneliness explained 26% of the variance in the total depressive symptom score (p < 0.001), independent of co

SUBMITTER: von Kanel R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7967763 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature