Antecedents of Loneliness: A Factorial Analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Based on the content analysis of verbatim reports of loneliness experiences provided by 526 subjects, I developed a model of the antecedents of loneliness. Eight factors are subsumed under three clusters and are differentiated into 20 components. In addition to highlighting the sources of the subjective experience, the present study demonstrates the complexity of the loneliness phenomenon. The suggested model is helpful in examining the various conditions that give rise to the different experiences that people report and may be useful in designing therapeutic intervention procedures according to the individual needs of the lonely.