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In this article I highlighted the importance of belonging, togetherness, and interpersonal support, and examined eating rituals, in various cultures and religions, that emphasize that food is not just for the body, but can nurture the soul and bond people.

Loneliness has been part of the human experience since the beginning of time. It cannot be avoided, but we may be able to cope with it, address its pain and possibly lower its frequency in our lives. This review addresses the theoretical approaches, and the author’s own research which aims at exploring various means of coping with loneliness.

The present study examined the experience of loneliness and the ways of coping with its pain as utilized by people with chronic pain and caregivers. Specifically, a large sample (N = 827) recruited in two major pain clinics in Israel, completed the Loneliness and the Coping with loneliness questionnaires. Results indicated that patients had higher scores than caregivers in Emotional distress, Social inadequacy and alienation, Interpersonal isolation, and in Self-alienation. There was no significant difference between the groups in the Growth and discovery subscale. Comparing patients and caregivers on coping with loneliness, patients had higher scores than caregivers in Reflection and acceptance, and in Self-development and understanding. No significant difference between the groups was found in Social support, Distancing and denial, Religion and faith, and on Increased activity.

This article explores the experience of loneliness in intimacy, with a special focus on infidelity. First, the notion of intimacy and love are examined and related to the concept of loneliness. To be in love is often thought to exclude being lonely but research shows otherwise.’ Loneliness is exacerbated when intimacy is shattered by interpersonal events like infidelity. A review of recent literature regarding infidelity is presented. The concepts of depression, social support, self-esteem, and betrayal as a result of infidelity are examined and linked to loneliness. Also included, is a small discussion regarding the psychological distress and loneliness of the adulterer, before and after the revelation of infidelity. It is further asserted that loneliness is a two-way construct when speaking of infidelity; not only is it a salient product of infidelity, but also a strong predictor of its occurrence.

This research, conducted on patients and caregivers, examined the qualitative aspects of their loneliness. Patients were divided into those who were approached before they had surgery, and those post operatively. We collected information about their tumors, which were either benign or malignant. The patients’ loneliness was compared to their caregivers who were either intimate partners or “others”, i.e. family members and friends. The loneliness questionnaire, has already been extensively utilized in previous studies, and was used to explore the various aspects of loneliness of those groups. Significant differences in subscale scores were found in patients pre and post surgery, with those who have already had surgery scoring higher. Additionally, those who were cared for by a partner scored lower on the loneliness subscales than those attended to by “other”. Interestingly, the only significant difference in the caregiver group was between men and women, in line with the socialization process of the genders, which makes women more open and vocal about their feelings and needs.

In this epilogue I review some of the existing literature on senseless violence, highlighting the phenomenon, examining the factors that cause people to commit such horrific deeds, and the complex thoughts, feelings, and acts that precede such senseless violence. The article ends with some reflections on what we should do as a profession and as a society to help curb this life shattering violence.

Four hundred and twenty-six participants volunteered to participate in this study. A total of 159 men and 281 women comprised the sample. The sample was composed of 99 cancer stricken patients, 97 caregivers, 124 participants from the general population, and 126 people who were related to them in a similar manner that caregivers were related to patients (i.e. spouse, intimate partner, child, family member, etc.). Utilizing the Loneliness Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS), and the Sense of Coherence (SOC) questionnaires, it was found that significant differences among the four groups were found on Reflection and Acceptance, Self-development and Understanding, Social Support Network, Distancing and Denial, and on the Increased Activity subscales. Significant differences were not found on the Religion and Faith subscale. The findings are interpreted in light of the analyses of the other two measures which address the social support that patients and caregivers received and their SOC.

The present study aimed to understand what constitutes a traumatic relationship experience for adults in abusive intimate relationships and what effects, losses, and coping strategies were the most salient for these participants. A total of 101 individuals (42 males, 59 females) who reported experiencing an abusive or traumatic relationship participated. A mixed-method content analysis approach was used to derive the salient categories representative of participants' traumatic relationship experience and the resulting effects. Participants' responses to their most traumatic and distressing relationship experience revealed two themes: relational abuse and internal turmoil/stressful reactions. Participants also described numerous effects from the abusive relationship on their lives. Content analysis revealed four themes: internal turmoil, interpersonal affect, dysfunctional coping, and strength/empowerment. These findings are discussed in relation to treatment considerations for individuals experiencing rel...

Loneliness is a universal phenomenon, and its pain is intensified by a diagnosis of a terminal illness. The present study is an investigation of the strategies used by patients with Multiple sclerosis (MS), by individuals diagnosed with cancer, and by the general population to cope with loneliness. Three hundred and twenty nine MS patients, 315 cancer patients, and 391 participants from the general population answered a 34-item questionnaire. Results indicated that with the exception of Reflection and acceptance, Distancing and denial, and Increased activity, the three groups cope with loneliness significantly differently.

Loneliness is a prevailing experience which is particularly familiar to adolescents and young adults. It is a subjective experience which is influenced by one’s personality, life experiences, and situational variables. The present study examined the influence of drug cessation on coping with loneliness. Drug abusers, during their stay in detox centers, were compared to drug abusers who participated in a methadone maintenance program and those two groups were compared to a group of adults in the general population who are non users of drugs. A total of 304 participants volunteered to answer a 34-item yes/no questionnaire, reflecting on their loneliness experiences and how they coped with it. The factors which compose the beneficial coping strategies are– Acceptance and reflection, Self-development and understanding, Social support network, Distancing and denial, Religion and faith, and Increased activity. Results indicated significant differences in the manner in which the three groups cope with loneliness.

Loneliness is generally a prevailing experience which is particularly familiar to adolescents and young adults. It is a subjective experience which is influenced by one's personality, life experien...

At the dawn of the 21st century, both loneliness and homelessness are more pervasive than we would possibly like to admit. In this study, the experience of loneliness of the homeless was compared to that of the general population. Two hundred and sixty six homeless and 595 men and women from the general population answered a 30 item yes/no questionnaire. The experience of loneliness is composed of the following five factors: emotional distress, social inadequacy and alienation, growth and discovery, interpersonal isolation, and self-alienation. The present results indicated that the experience of loneliness for the homeless is significantly different than that of the general population. Gender main effects were explored and discussed.

Homelessness is prevalent in our society and just like their counterparts in the general population, the homeless encounter, amongst other experiences, also loneliness. Their coping strategies with the pain of loneliness were compared to that of the general population. One hundred and thirteen youth and young adult homeless, and 211 participants from the general population answered a 34 item yes/no questionnaire which included the following coping factors: Reflection and acceptance, Self-development and understanding, Social support network. Distancing and Denial, Religion and faith and Increased activity. Significant differences in coping patterns were noted between the samples with the homeless having higher mean scores than the general population on the Self-development and understanding and on the Distancing and denial subscales.

Both, homelessness and loneliness are quite pervasive in North America. This study compared the causes of the loneliness experienced by the homeless to that of the general population. Two hundred and sixty six homeless and five hundred and ninety five men and women from the general population answered a 30 item yes/no questionnaire. The causes of loneliness were composed of the following five factors: Personal inadequacy, Developmental deficits, Unfulfilling intimate relationships, Relocation/significant separations, and Social marginality. The present results indicated that the causes of homeless loneliness are significantly different from those of the general population.

The present study is an examination of the influence of cultural background on the ways in which the aged cope with loneliness. Thirty-six participants from Canada and 105 from Portugal (60-83 years old) answered an 86-item questionnaire which examined the beneficial strategies which they used to cope with loneliness. The strategies which were examined included Acceptance and Reflection, Self-Development and Understanding, Social Support Network, Distancing and Denial, Religion and Faith, and Increased Activity. Results indicated that the elderly of the two cultures differ on three subscales. Gender differences between and within cultures were also examined.

Loneliness is a prevailing experience particularly familiar to adolescents and young adults. It is a subjective experience, influenced by one's personality, life experiences, and situational variables. The present study examined the influence of drug cessation on the experience of loneliness. Drug abusers during their stay in detox centers were compared to drug abusers who were in a methadone maintenance program, and those two groups were again compared to a group of adults in the general population who are nonusers of drugs. A total of 304 participants from all three groups volunteered to answer a 30-item yes/no questionnaire, reflecting on their experience of loneliness and what it meant to them. The factors which compose the multidimensional loneliness experience are emotional distress, social inadequacy and alienation, growth and discovery, interpersonal isolation, and self-alienation. Results revealed significant differences between the scores of the three groups, however only the detox and the general population samples had significantly different subscale scores.

The pain of loneliness is a universal social phenomenon, which is intensified by the diagnosis of a terminal illness. This study was aimed at investigating the causes of loneliness as perceived by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients, those diagnosed with cancer, and the general population. 329 MS patients, 315 cancer patients, and 391 participants from the general population answered a 29-item questionnaire. Results indicated that with the exception of personal inadequacies and developmental deficits, those afflicted with MS and cancer perceived the causes of their loneliness to be significantly different from those of the general population. Men and women in each population differed significantly in their perception of loneliness.

Loneliness is generally a prevailingexperience which is particularly familiar toadolescents and young adults. It is asubjective experience which is influenced byone's personality, life experiences, andsituational variables. The present studyexamined the influence of Ecstasy (MDMA) useon the coping strategies of loneliness. The Ecstasy users were compared to Non-Ecstasy users and to a group of young adults in the general population who are non users of drugs. A total of 818 participants volunteered to answer a 34-item yes/no questionnaire, reflecting on their loneliness experiences and the ways inwhich they coped with it. The strategies which were examined included Acceptance and reflection, Self-development and understanding, Social supportnetwork, Distancing and denial, Religion andfaith and Increased activity. Resultsrevealed significant differences between thescores of the Ecstasy users and the othergroups. Gender differences between and withinthe groups were also examined.

The present study examined the influence of cultural background on the beneficial ways in which adolescents cope with loneliness. Eighty Canadian youth and 168 adolescents from the Czech Republic formed the participants pool. They answered a 36 item yes/no questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed of six subscales, namely: Reflection and acceptance, Self-development and understanding, Social support network, Distancing and denial, Religion and faith, and Increased activity. Results revealed a mixed pattern of differences between the two cultures, with Canadian youth scoring higher than the Czech only on the distancing and denial, and Religion and faith subscales, while that trend was reversed in Increased activity subscale. Gender differences within and between the cultures were also examined.

Loneliness is a prevailing experience which is particularly familiar to adolescents and young adults. It is a subjective experience which is influenced by one's personality, life experiences, and situational variables. The present study examined the influence of Ecstasy (MDMA) use on the experience of loneliness. The ecstasy users were compared to non ecstasy users and to a group of young adults in the general population who are non users of drugs. A total of 818 participants from all three groups volunteered to answer a 30-item yes/no questionnaire, reflecting on their loneliness experiences and what it meant to them. The factors which compose the multidimensional loneliness experience are Emotional distress, Social inadequacy and alienation, Growth and discovery, Interpersonal isolation and Self-alienation. Results revealed significant differences between the scores of the Ecstasy users and the other groups. Gender differences between and within the groups were also examined.

The present study examined the influence of culturalbackground on the experience of loneliness. Threehundred and seventy five participants from NorthAmerica and 375 from Croatia volunteered to answer an82 item questionnaire which examined the quality oftheir loneliness experiences. The factors whichcomprise the experience of loneliness are Emotionaldistress, Social inadequacy and alienation, Growth anddiscovery, Interpersonal isolation, andSelf-alienation. Results indicated that culturalbackground, indeed, affects the experience ofloneliness. North Americans scored higher on all fivefactors, and a similar trend was evident when men andwomen were compared across cultures.

The present study examined the influence of cultural background on coping with loneliness. 711 participants from Canada, 568 from Turkey, and 389 from Argentina answered an 86-item questionnaire examining the beneficial strategies they used to cope with loneliness. Those strategies included acceptance and reflection, self-development and understanding, social support network, distancing and denial, religion and faith, and increased activity. Results indicated that cultural background affects the strategies one uses to cope with loneliness. North Americans had the highest mean scores on all six subscales, while Argentinians had the lowest scores on five out of the six subscales.

The present study examined the influence of cultural background on adolescents' ability to cope with loneliness. Three hundred and six adolescents (13–18 yrs. old) from Canada and Portugal answered an 86 item questionnaire which examined the beneficial strategies which they used to cope with loneliness. The strategies which were examined included Acceptance and reflection, Self development and understanding, Social support network, Distancing and denial, Religion and faith and Increased activity. Results revealed that adolescents of the two cultures differed on three subscales. Gender differences between, and within, cultures were also examined.

The present study examined the influence of incarceration on perceived sources of loneliness. It was hypothesized that incarcerated offenders would perceive the causes of their loneliness differently than would the general population sample. On an 82-item, yes-or-no questionnaire, 162 men from the general population and 199 male offenders, all of which were recruited on a voluntary basis, reported the sources of their loneliness. Results indicated a significant difference in the perceived sources of loneliness among the two populations. It also was found that the duration of loneliness (i.e., chronic vs. episodic) and its presence at the time of testing affect the perception of its causes.

Snell [1] reviews the history of loneliness, since he maintains that despite the well-established research on this topic in psychology, sociology, and across a range of modern welfare disciplines, and despite the modern public, political and media concern about an ‘epidemic’ or ‘time bomb’ of loneliness, historians have been slow to explore the historical aspects of the problem. Snell undertakes to do it, and examines loneliness in literature, philosophy, psychology, in light of societal changes, and cultural dictates.

Loneliness is a pervasive social problem and is experienced universally. The present study examined the influence of cultural background on the perceived causes of loneliness. In the present study 679 participants (318 men and 361 women) answered a 15-item loneliness questionnaire and represented three cultural backgrounds: North American, South Asian, and West Indian. Results indicated significant differences in the perception of the antecedents of loneliness amongst the three cultural subgroups. Gender differences were also found across the cultures and within the North American and the West Indian populations.

In the present study the various strategies used by individuals who have successfully coped with loneliness are identified. A questionnaire containing 86 yes-no items outlining various coping strategies was completed by 633 individuals selected from a local college and university and from the general population. A subsequent factor analysis of the data yielded six factors: Reflection and Acceptance, Self-Development and Understanding, Social Support Network, Distancing and Denial, Religion and Faith, and Increased Activity. Phase 2 of the study included an examination of whether the salience of these factors differed according to gender, marital status, and the duration of loneliness, and whether the passing of time altered the participants' understanding of the causes of loneliness.

Loneliness is a universal experience which transcends age, sex, geography, and culture. Religion, and often one's religiosity, are known to affect one's approach to life, behaviour, and social involvement. The present, preliminary study aimed to explore whether coping with loneliness is influenced by one's religious observance. The present study focused on Israeli Jews. 250 participants identified themselves as Secular, Conservative, or Orthodox, by answering a 34-item yes/no questionnaire on loneliness. The three groups statistically significantly differed in their manner of coping with loneliness only on the Religion and Faith subscale, as hypothesized. Similar studies with people of other religious denominations could further highlight that issue.

Overview The present article describes an innovative theatre production that has been running in The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, for the past 15 years. It is directed at, and created for, hospitalized children and their families. The effects of hospitalization on children and their families are reviewed, and the benefits of humour and support during the stressful time the children have to spend in the hospital is highlighted. The play and its message, as well as possible health benefits, are also described. Practical implications Theatre productions may help ease the anxiety felt by children and their families concerning illness, hospitalization and the associated medical procedures. Theatre may also assist in increasing patients' compliance with medical procedures and follow-up. Originality The play described is the first regular children's theatre created by medical staff for hospitalized children. It is valuable because it may result in other hospitals following this example, and because it may generate research on the effects of theatre on patients and their families.

Loneliness is a pervasive experience which everyone has experienced. It is a subjective experience, which is influenced by one's personality and situational variables. This study examined the influence of age and culture on the perceived causes of loneliness. One thousand, three hundred and forty-seven Canadian and Portuguese participants from all walks of life volunteered to answer an 82-item yes/no questionnaire reflecting on the causes of their loneliness. The questionnaire used in this study is composed of the factors that describe causes of loneliness: Personal inadequacies, Developmental deficits, Unfulfilling intimate relationships, Relocation/significant separations, and Social marginality. Gender differences between and within the groups were also examined. Four age groups were compared: youth (13–18 years old), young adults (19–30), adults (31–58) and the elderly (60 and older). Within and between culture and age comparisons were also done. Results indicated that the causes of loneliness are perceived differently depending on one's age and culture.

The present study examined the influence of cultural background on adolescents' experience of loneliness. Eighty Canadians and 168 adolescents from the Czech Republic formed the participants pool. They answered a 30-item yes/no questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed of five subscales, namely: Emotional distress, Social inadequacy and alienation, Growth and discovery, Interpersonal isolation, and Self-alienation. Results revealed a mixed pattern of differences between the two cultures, with Canadian youth scoring higher than the Czechs only on Emotional distress, while that trend was reversed in Social inadequacy and alienation and Interpersonal isolation. Gender differences within cultures were also examined.

Loneliness is a subjective experience that is influenced by such variables as personality, life experiences, and situation. In the present study, the author examined the connection between the use of ecstasy (MDMA) and the antecedents of loneliness. MDMA users were compared with non-MDMA drug users and with a group of young adults in the general population who did not use drugs. A total of 818 participants from all 3 groups volunteered to answer a 30-item yes-no questionnaire reflecting on their experiences of loneliness and what caused them. Results showed that the predominant causes of loneliness were personal inadequacies, developmental deficits, unfulfilling intimate relationships, relocation or significant separations, and social marginality. There were significant differences between the scores of the MDMA users and scores of the other groups. Gender differences between and within groups were also examined.

Loneliness is a pervasive social problem which is experienced universally, regardless of one’s race, gender, age, or cultural background. In this study the influences of cultural background on the perceptions of loneliness antecedents were examined. Respondents including 711 Canadians, 568 Turks, and 398 Argentineans answered an 82-item questionnaire composed of 5 subscales, namely: personal inadequacies, developmental deficits, unfulfilling intimate relationships, relocation/significant separation, and social marginality. Participants were asked to endorse those items which, in their opinion, constituted the causes of their loneliness. Results revealed significant differences among the 3 cultures. Canadians gained the highest mean scores on all subscales, while the Turkish participants gained the lowest mean scores for personal in-adequacies and developmental deficits. Gender differences were also examined within, and between, cultures.

Loneliness is a prevailing experience which every person has experienced. This subjective experience is influenced by one's personality and situational variables. In the present study, the influence of age and sex on the experience of loneliness were examined. 711 participants volunteered to answer an 82-item yes/no questionnaire on their loneliness experience and its meaning. Four age groups were compared: 106 youths (13–18 years old), 255 young adults (19–30 years old), 314 adults (31–58 years old), and 36 seniors (60–80 years old). Within and between sex comparisons indicated that loneliness is indeed affected by one's age and sex.

Loneliness is a pervasive social problem and is experienced universally, regardless of one's race, gender, age or cultural background. Adolescents have been reported to be the most amenable to loneliness. This study examined the influence of cultural background on adolescents' perceptions of the causes of their loneliness. In the present study, 100 Canadian youth and 206 Portuguese adolescents answered an 82-items questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed of five subscales, namely: Personal inadequacies, Developmental deficits, Unfulfilling intimate relationships, Relocation/significant separation, and Social marginality. Participants were asked to endorse those items that in their opinion constituted the antecedents of their loneliness. Results indicated significant differences, between youth of the two cultures on only two of the five subscales. Gender differences were also examined within and between cultures.

The present study examined the influence of incarceration on sources of loneliness. It was hypothesized that incarcerated offenders would perceive the causes of their loneliness differently than a general population sample. 145 male offenders and 112 men from the general population who were recruited on a voluntary basis, reported the sources of their loneliness on a 15-item (yes/no) questionnaire. Analysis indicated a significant difference in the perceived sources of loneliness amongst the two populations. Also duration of loneliness, i.e., chronic vs episodic, was associated with perception of its causes.

Previous research, upon which the present study is based, identified five clearly distinguished factors which comprise the loneliness experience: Emotional distress, Social inadequacy and alienation, Growth and discovery, Interpersonal isolation, and Self-alienation. Further research indicated that the various coping strategies could be grouped into six factors, namely, Reflection and acceptance, Self-development and understanding, Social support network, Distancing and denial, Religion and faith, and Increased activity. The present study examined which were the most beneficial coping strategies, depending on the qualitative experience of lonely persons. The following coping strategies were identified as best suited to cope with and reduce the pain of loneliness, Acceptance and reflection, Social interaction, and Increased activity. Distancing from loneliness and attempts to ignore and deny it are the least effective and can, at best, be helpful on a temporary basis only.

Content analysis of 526 verbatim reports of loneliness revealed both helpful and nonhelpful coping strategies. The helpful strategies were grouped into three clusters that represent three distinct phases of the coping process. Eleven factors were subsumed under the three clusters. Four additional factors comprised the cluster of destructive and nonbeneficial coping strategies. The present study highlights the complexity and variety of coping strategies as well as the frequency with which they are used and their utility in helping people to survive loneliness and alienation.

A descriptiveframeworkfor the context analysis of sexualfantasies was developed by examination of the verbatim reports of fantasies of sexual offenders and non-sexual offenders. Twenty-two fantasy themes, subsumed under five major categories of sexual fantasies, were identified. Application of the scale to a sample of fantasies elicited from 103 offenders revealed differences in the frequency of occurrence of various fantasy themes and categories between the sex offenders and non-sex offenders. In addition to demonstrating the diversity of the content of erotic imagery, the study results suggest that the scale may have use in the discrimination of differences relevant to the understanding of sexual deviancy.