Exploring the experiences of loneliness in adults with mental health problems: a participatory qualitative interview study
Exploring the experiences of loneliness in adults with mental health problems: a participatory qualitative interview study
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探索有心理健康问题的成年人的孤独经历：一项参与性定性访谈研究
DOI：
10.1101/2022.03.02.22271346
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发表时间：
2022
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Birken M
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Birken M
背景孤独与许多心理健康状况有关，既是潜在的因果因素，又是加剧因素。需要更丰富的证据来了解有心理健康问题的人如何经历孤独，以及是什么导致孤独感更加严重或减轻，以支持有助于解决孤独感的策略的研究。方法我们的目的是在英国患有心理健康问题的成年人的不同样本中探索孤独感的经历，以及有助于解决孤独感的方法。我们有目的地通过在线网络和社区组织进行招聘，大部分面试是在 COVID-19 大流行期间进行的。通过视频通话或电话，对 59 名同意的参与者进行了定性半结构化访谈。具有相关生活经验的研究人员参与了所有阶段，包括设计、数据收集、分析和撰写结果。调查结果分析确定了四个总体主题：1.“孤独”一词对参与者意味着什么，2.孤独与心理健康之间的联系，3.持续孤独的影响因素，4.减少孤独的方法。孤独的核心问题是缺乏与他人有意义的联系，以及缺乏对有价值的群体和社区的归属感。孤独感的一些驱动因素，例如损失和转变，是普遍存在的，但患有心理健康问题和孤独感之间也存在特定的联系。这些包括心理健康症状的直接影响、应对心理健康问题的需要、以及耻辱和贫困的影响。结论我们发现的孤独感的多种因素以及减少孤独感的潜在策略表明，有多种方法可以减少患有心理健康问题的人的孤独感，包括同伴支持和支持的自助、心理和社会干预以及促进变革的策略 在社区和社会层面。患有心理健康问题的成年人的观点和经历是理解为什么孤独感在这种情况下频繁发生以及如何解决孤独感的丰富来源。共同开发和测试孤独干预方法的方法可以利用这些经验知识。
BackgroundLoneliness is associated with many mental health conditions, as both a potential causal and an exacerbating factor. Richer evidence about how people with mental health problems experience loneliness, and about what makes it more or less severe, is needed to underpin research on strategies to help address loneliness.MethodsOur aim was to explore experiences of loneliness, as well as what helps address it, among a diverse sample of adults living with mental health problems in the UK. We recruited purposively via online networks and community organisations, with most interviews conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 59 consenting participants face-to-face, by video call or telephone. Researchers with relevant lived experience were involved at all stages, including design, data collection, analysis and writing up of results.FindingsAnalysis led to identification of four overarching themes: 1. What the word “lonely” meant to participants, 2. Connections between loneliness and mental health, 3. Contributory factors to continuing loneliness, 4. Ways of reducing loneliness. Central aspects of loneliness were lack of meaningful connections with others and lack of a sense of belonging to valued groups and communities. Some drivers of loneliness, such as losses and transitions, were universal, but specific links were also made between living with mental health problems and being lonely. These included direct effects of mental health symptoms, the need to withdraw to cope with mental health problems, and impacts of stigma and poverty.ConclusionsThe multiplicity of contributors to loneliness that we identified, and of potential strategies for reducing it, suggest that a variety of approaches are relevant to reducing loneliness among people with mental health problems, including peer support and supported self-help, psychological and social interventions, and strategies to facilitate change at community and societal levels. The views and experiences of adults living with mental health problems are a rich source for understanding why loneliness is frequent in this context and what may address it. Co-produced approaches to developing and testing approaches to loneliness interventions can draw on this experiential knowledge.