title: Loneliness across the life span.
abstract: Most people have experienced loneliness and have been able to overcome it to reconnect with other people. In the current review, we provide a life-span perspective on one component of the evolutionary theory of loneliness-a component we refer to as the reaffiliation motive (RAM). The RAM represents the motivation to reconnect with others that is triggered by perceived social isolation. Loneliness is often a transient experience because the RAM leads to reconnection, but sometimes this motivation can fail, leading to prolonged loneliness. We review evidence of how aspects of the RAM change across development and how these aspects can fail for different reasons across the life span. We conclude with a discussion of age-appropriate interventions that may help to alleviate prolonged loneliness.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom PQualter@uclan.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qualter
authors.affiliation: School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium Research Foundation Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanhalst
authors.affiliation: Department of Education and Psychology, University of Bolton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University Medical Center, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eeske
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Roekel
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lodder
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Munirah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bangee
authors.affiliation: School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marlies
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maaike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verhagen
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: affiliation; development; evolutionary mechanism; hypervigilance; life span; loneliness; prevalence; social withdrawal