*Session at the CEL conference 08.02.2024* *Professor Manuela Barreto* # My reflections - again proves that [[loneliness is not about the maladaptive individual]] - [[Loneliness is the product of hegemonies]] - cultural, power, economic, media(?) - Minorities are more likely to be lonely. # Loneliness inequalities session - unequal distribution of loneliness across social groups. - Did NOT look at unequal impacts on outcomes. ## Questions: - Is there evidence about inequalities in the experience of loneliness. - How do you explain these? Causes and drivers. Look at the individual level and also the structural level. ## Do we have inequalities? Yes! - Migrants and non migrants. Difference between larger difference in cultures. Also those who are most recent migrants. First generation migrants. Maybe not global- looking at western societies - Racial and ethnic minorities. Not always migrants. True at all ages. Inconsistent evidence. Some intersections received little evidence. - Gender: men and women very similar overall when using scales. Men larger after young adulthood. But when directly asked then larger for women. - Sexuality and gender minorities. More in LGBT than cisgender heterosexual peers. ==More when still exploring sexual identity. == - ==Mental health. Bi-Directional==. Some evidence that depression in childhood leads to loneliness later in life. - Disability and chronic illness. More. Greater in old age and Ethnic Minorities. Less evidence on specific disabilities (lumped together). - ==Unemployment and low SES. Bidirectional/ cycle again==. Causal path between them. Intersectionality: more unemployment in ethnic minorities and migrants. ## What is known about the causes of these inequalities? - Interpersonal exclusion. Members of marginalised groups and bullying, harassment, victimisation. Some evidence of intersection - Some direct evidence that interpersonal exclusion causes loneliness. Sexual minorities vs hetero. Different ethnic minorities. - Difference. Difference between groups is how loneliness can grow? Difference in Language skills, cultural difference, visual impairments, autistic straights. Problem not on individual. ==Product of cultural hegemony==- difference is excluded. - Wellbeing. Some evidence, but not huge, that differences in wellbeing explain loneliness. - Social engagement. No direct evidence for the full model. But evidence that ==poor health and finance limit opportunities to socialise==. ==Lack of opportunities to socialise== means loneliness. ==Minority group members report more relational strain==. Implications - Inequalities at the root of more proximal mechanisms that are most often the focus of interventions. ## Structural causes of loneliness - ==Structural stigma==: 'societal level conditions, norms, and policies that constrain the opportunities, resources and wellbeing of the stigmatised' - unequally distributed - drive causes at the individual level - impact does not require awareness. ### Community attitudes - prejudice in the community in particular groups. - ==More prejudice = more loneliness== - Exacerbates and perpetuates loneliness. - Discriminatory policies have direct effects on social relationships. - Positive diversity climates with greater sense of belonging. ==However if lip service then backfires!== ## Demographic diversity - ==more diverse environments = better for both minority and majority groups==. Improves connection. - When minority groups well represented then decrease loneliness. - High neighbourhood cohesion is good, unless priorities one group. ### Physical environment and area deprivation - Transportation. Regular, safe, affordable, connected. So having a car means less loneliness. - Good planning is key. Not urban vs rural. - Hate crimes - Community SES contributes over and above initial SES. ## Implications - Cannot be addressed on an individual deficit. - requires addressing social inequalities in experience and living conditions. Social justice issue. - Need better and longer term evidence on specific marginalised groups. Also need better databases. ## See also - [[Manuela Barreto conversation 22.03.2024]]