Investigating the links between loneliness, work and socioeconomic outcomes: A mixed-methods study

Student thesis: Doctoral ThesisDoctor of Philosophy

Abstract

The role of work in shaping adults' health and wellbeing has gained increasing attention from researchers and policymakers in recent years. There has similarly been growing concern about the impact of loneliness, which has been identified as a risk factor for a range of physical and mental health problems. The association between loneliness and health is particularly significant in the context of work, with productivity losses and the healthcare burden linked with loneliness having the potential for significant economic and societal costs. However, few studies have examined loneliness in working-age adults, and the risk factors and consequences of work-related loneliness are unclear. Greater understanding of the links between loneliness and work can inform strategies to reduce loneliness in working-age adults and minimise the impact of loneliness on health and employment. In this thesis, I explore the links between loneliness and work and their implications for health, occupational and socioeconomic outcomes using a mixed-methods approach. I present three studies examining experiences of loneliness and work that provide conclusions relevant to researchers, employers and occupational health practitioners. The first study explores lived experiences of loneliness at work using data from a qualitative interview study with UK-based workers. This study interrogates existing conceptualisations of workplace loneliness through analysis of workers’ experiences and offers a novel conceptualisation of workplace loneliness integrating individual, organisational and societal factors. The second study systematically reviews the literature on workplace loneliness. This study uses meta-analysis and thematic synthesis to assess the association between workplace loneliness and aspects of the work environment, occupational functioning and mental health, and points to gaps in the literature on loneliness and work. The third study investigates how loneliness impacts socioeconomic position and employment outcomes in young adulthood using data from a UK nationally representative longitudinal cohort study. Using longitudinal and sibling control methods to control for a range of possible confounders, this study tests the directionality and robustness of the association between loneliness and multiple indicators of socioeconomic position. Overall, the findings point to the impact of loneliness on workers’ wellbeing, occupational functioning and socioeconomic outcomes, and underline the potential for reducing loneliness to benefit workers, organisations, and the economy.
Date of Award1 Sept 2024
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • King's College London
SupervisorLouise Arseneault (Supervisor) & Timothy Matthews (Supervisor)

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