Loneliness and happiness in the face of the COVID-19 lockdown: Examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distress
Studies show that loneliness was higher during the pandemic than in the pre-pandemic periods, with negative consequences on individual happiness. This study extends current knowledge by investigating the indirect effects of somatic symptoms and psychological distress in the loneliness-happiness rela...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | Health Psychology Open |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20551029231206764 |
| _version_ | 1797657466231586816 |
|---|---|
| author | Babatola Dominic Olawa Erhabor Sunday Idemudia Benjamin Oluwabunmi Omolayo Judith Chineye Azikiwe |
| author_facet | Babatola Dominic Olawa Erhabor Sunday Idemudia Benjamin Oluwabunmi Omolayo Judith Chineye Azikiwe |
| author_sort | Babatola Dominic Olawa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies show that loneliness was higher during the pandemic than in the pre-pandemic periods, with negative consequences on individual happiness. This study extends current knowledge by investigating the indirect effects of somatic symptoms and psychological distress in the loneliness-happiness relationship during the COVID-19 lockdown. The cross-sectional sample comprises 538 Nigerian adults (Meanage = 36.48 ± 12.03) with 43% females. Data were collected using structured self-report instruments and subjected to path analyses in SPSS AMOS. Results showed that loneliness and happiness were negatively related. Loneliness and happiness were indirectly related through the successive association between somatic symptoms and psychological distress. Specifically, greater loneliness was associated with increased somatic symptoms, which in turn were associated with greater psychological distress and reduced happiness levels. Clinicians can manage the decline in happiness from loneliness during the pandemic lockdown by administering treatments that mitigate somatic symptoms and psychological distress in concerned clients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T17:44:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-78155bd543614f2ba1b50bece2e1edf0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-1029 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T17:44:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Psychology Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-78155bd543614f2ba1b50bece2e1edf02023-10-18T08:03:29ZengSAGE PublishingHealth Psychology Open2055-10292023-10-011010.1177/20551029231206764Loneliness and happiness in the face of the COVID-19 lockdown: Examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distressBabatola Dominic OlawaErhabor Sunday IdemudiaBenjamin Oluwabunmi OmolayoJudith Chineye AzikiweStudies show that loneliness was higher during the pandemic than in the pre-pandemic periods, with negative consequences on individual happiness. This study extends current knowledge by investigating the indirect effects of somatic symptoms and psychological distress in the loneliness-happiness relationship during the COVID-19 lockdown. The cross-sectional sample comprises 538 Nigerian adults (Meanage = 36.48 ± 12.03) with 43% females. Data were collected using structured self-report instruments and subjected to path analyses in SPSS AMOS. Results showed that loneliness and happiness were negatively related. Loneliness and happiness were indirectly related through the successive association between somatic symptoms and psychological distress. Specifically, greater loneliness was associated with increased somatic symptoms, which in turn were associated with greater psychological distress and reduced happiness levels. Clinicians can manage the decline in happiness from loneliness during the pandemic lockdown by administering treatments that mitigate somatic symptoms and psychological distress in concerned clients.https://doi.org/10.1177/20551029231206764 |
| spellingShingle | Babatola Dominic Olawa Erhabor Sunday Idemudia Benjamin Oluwabunmi Omolayo Judith Chineye Azikiwe Loneliness and happiness in the face of the COVID-19 lockdown: Examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distress Health Psychology Open |
| title | Loneliness and happiness in the face of the COVID-19 lockdown: Examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distress |
| title_full | Loneliness and happiness in the face of the COVID-19 lockdown: Examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distress |
| title_fullStr | Loneliness and happiness in the face of the COVID-19 lockdown: Examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Loneliness and happiness in the face of the COVID-19 lockdown: Examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distress |
| title_short | Loneliness and happiness in the face of the COVID-19 lockdown: Examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distress |
| title_sort | loneliness and happiness in the face of the covid 19 lockdown examining the pathways through somatic symptoms and psychological distress |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20551029231206764 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT babatoladominicolawa lonelinessandhappinessinthefaceofthecovid19lockdownexaminingthepathwaysthroughsomaticsymptomsandpsychologicaldistress AT erhaborsundayidemudia lonelinessandhappinessinthefaceofthecovid19lockdownexaminingthepathwaysthroughsomaticsymptomsandpsychologicaldistress AT benjaminoluwabunmiomolayo lonelinessandhappinessinthefaceofthecovid19lockdownexaminingthepathwaysthroughsomaticsymptomsandpsychologicaldistress AT judithchineyeazikiwe lonelinessandhappinessinthefaceofthecovid19lockdownexaminingthepathwaysthroughsomaticsymptomsandpsychologicaldistress |