College of Nursing, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry 605006, India.
Dept of Medicine, Consultant Geriatric Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry 605006, India.
Asian J Psychiatr. 2022 Oct;76:103245. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103245. Epub 2022 Aug 17.
Study aimed to identify association between loneliness, depression and perceived social support in adults living in the empty nest stage of family life cycle and to assess impact of digital technology use on the same.
In this hospital based cross-sectional study, we recruited 281 adults aged 50 years and above. Assessment of loneliness and depression was done using University of California Los Angeles Loneliness scale and Patient Health Questionnaire. Social support was assessed using Multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Digital technology use was assessed based on their self -reported use of mobile, or computer.
Among the participants (age 50-75 years), women accounted for 57.7%. 71% of the adults were staying with the spouse, 85% of the participants reported lowincome status. Mean score (SD) of loneliness was 61.7(10.23). Only 17.8% were classified as having no to mild depression, while 52.7% reported low social support. Loneliness severity correlated significantly with depression severity (σ = 0.59, p = 0.000), and perceived social support (σ = -0.78, p = 0.000). Use of digital technology (72.9%) was associated with significantly lower loneliness score (U=4120.00, p = 0.000, lower depression score (U=5106.00, p = 0.000) and higher perceived social support (U=4366.00, p = 0.000).
Loneliness is present in adults in the empty nest stage of life cycle. Its severity positively correlated with depressive symptoms and negatively with perceived social support. Digital technology users seem to have lower loneliness, lower depression severity and higher social support compared to non-digital technology users.
本研究旨在探讨空巢家庭生命周期中成年人的孤独感、抑郁与感知社会支持之间的关系，并评估数字技术使用对此的影响。
本医院横断面研究纳入 281 名年龄 50 岁及以上的成年人。采用加利福尼亚大学洛杉矶孤独量表和患者健康问卷评估孤独感和抑郁，采用多维感知社会支持量表评估社会支持。根据他们对手机或电脑的自我报告使用情况评估数字技术使用情况。
在参与者（年龄 50-75 岁）中，女性占 57.7%。71%的成年人与配偶同住，85%的参与者报告收入较低。孤独感平均得分（SD）为 61.7（10.23）。仅有 17.8%被归类为无轻度抑郁，而 52.7%报告社会支持较低。孤独感严重程度与抑郁严重程度显著相关（σ=0.59，p=0.000），与感知社会支持显著相关（σ=-0.78，p=0.000）。数字技术的使用（72.9%）与较低的孤独感得分（U=4120.00，p=0.000）、较低的抑郁得分（U=5106.00，p=0.000）和较高的感知社会支持（U=4366.00，p=0.000）显著相关。
空巢家庭生命周期中的成年人存在孤独感。其严重程度与抑郁症状呈正相关，与感知社会支持呈负相关。与非数字技术使用者相比，数字技术使用者的孤独感较低、抑郁严重程度较低、社会支持较高。
