Lonely, but not the same: Exploring associations of emotional and social loneliness with psychological distress in older adults – A gendered perspective

Emotional and social loneliness contribute to psychological distress in older adults. Gender differences may moderate these associations. This study investigates how emotional/social loneliness and gender relate to psychological distress. A postal survey was conducted with 3108 older adults (>60 years) in Erlangen, Germany, using Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and additional psychosocial/health measures. Multiple regressions examined associations between psychological distress and loneliness, gender and psychosocial/health factors. The regression model explained 45% of psychological distress variance (adjusted R ²  = 0.449). Emotional and social loneliness, satisfaction with life, changes in psychological and physical health, and access to routine medical care were significant predictors for psychological distress. A gender interaction showed a stronger association between emotional loneliness and psychological distress for women; no such interaction was found for social loneliness. These findings underscore the importance of gender-sensitive interventions targeting emotional loneliness to reduce psychological distress.