Social Isolation and Loneliness

Social isolation, the objective characteristics of a situation of a small-sized social network, is frequently mentioned as a major risk factor for loneliness and mental health problems. In contrast to social isolation, loneliness is the subjective experience of a situation as one of an undesired lack of (quality of) certain relationships. Although social isolation is strongly associated with loneliness, there is not a direct simple association between both phenomena. The standards or wishes for specific types of relationships and the varying cognitive discrepancy experienced are crucial intermediates between social isolation and loneliness.