Loneliness, Psychological Wellbeing, and Depression Among Older Adults: A Comparative Study of Living Arrangements

Abstract

Loneliness is a growing concern among older adults, with important implications for their psychological wellbeing and mental health. This study compared loneliness, psychological wellbeing, and depressive symptoms between older adults living alone and those living with family. A cross-sectional comparative design was employed, and data were collected from 200 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and above, comprising 95 living alone and 105 living with family, using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Data were analysed using independent-samples t-tests, effect size estimation, and Pearson correlation. Results indicated that older adults living alone reported significantly higher loneliness (p < .001, d = 1.07), lower life satisfaction (p < .001, d = 0.86), and more depressive symptoms (p < .001, d = 0.79) than those living with family. Loneliness was significantly and negatively correlated with life satisfaction (r = −.61, p < .001) and positively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = .56, p < .001). These findings indicate that living arrangements are associated with meaningful differences in the psychological functioning of older adults, and they underscore the importance of addressing loneliness in this population, with implications for community support, geriatric care, and mental health services.