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Alone in the COVID-19 lockdown: An exploratory study.
Rowena Leary1, Kathryn Asbury1
1Department of Education University of York, Heslington, York UK.
Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy : ASAP
|August 9, 2022
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic heightened feelings of isolation. This study explored aloneness during UK lockdown, identifying risk factors like worry and protective factors such as social contact, with solitude proposed as a loneliness buffer.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns globally increased concerns about loneliness and mental health.
- Understanding the nuances of aloneness is crucial for addressing widespread feelings of isolation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the experience of aloneness during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown.
- To identify risk and protective factors associated with loneliness.
- To investigate the potential of solitude as a mechanism for alleviating loneliness.
Main Methods:
- Thematic analysis of high and low point stories from 71 UK lockdown participants.
- Deductive analysis to identify facets of aloneness: emotional, social, existential loneliness, and solitude.
- Inductive analysis to identify risk and protective factors.
Main Results:
- Three facets of aloneness were identified: emotional, social, and existential loneliness, alongside the positive experience of solitude.
- Risk factors for loneliness included worry, lockdown changes, and poor mental health.
- Protective factors comprised social and emotional contact, stability, and a simple life.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the interplay between different facets of aloneness is important for developing interventions.
- Solitude may serve as a valuable mechanism for mitigating loneliness, especially existential loneliness.
- Identifying risk and protective factors can inform social and policy interventions to combat loneliness.
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