The dying, those who care for them, and how they cope with loneliness.

This study compares the manner in which the dying, their caregivers, and the general population cope with loneliness. The patients were recruited in an oncological hospice in Israel and, despite being on their deathbed, agreed to participate. Thirty-seven cancer-stricken patients, 78 caregivers, and 128 participants From the general population volunteered to take part.

The loneliness experience of the dying and of those who care for them.

Objective: The study compared the qualitative aspects of the loneliness experience of the dying, their caregivers, and the general population.

Method: The patients were recruited in an oncological hospice in Israel, and, despite being on their deathbed, agreed to participate in the study. Thirty-seven cancer-stricken patients, 78 caregivers, and 128 participants from the general population volunteered to partake in the study.

Self-perception of the antecedents of loneliness among new mothers and pregnant women.

This study examined the perceived causes of loneliness of pregnant women and mothers during the first year after childbirth experience. These were compared with the causes of loneliness of women in the general population. 91 pregnant women, 97 women during the first year following childbirth, and 208 women from the general population (M age = 30.

Caring for those who care for the dying: coping with the demands on palliative care workers.

The article reviews the complex and demanding field of palliative care, noting the sources of the stresses and strains that the health care workers often encounter. It illustrates the multidimensional needs of patients, the reasons why they and/or their families may hamper palliative care, and, mostly, what can be done to deal with and-better yet-prevent palliative workers' burnout.

Loneliness in domestically abused women.

The qualitative aspects of loneliness in abused women were explored. 80 women, victims of domestic abuse who were staying in shelters, were compared with 84 women from the general population who had no history of abusive relationships. A 30-item loneliness questionnaire, having five qualitative dimensions of loneliness, namely Emotional Distress, Social Inadequacy and Alienation, Growth and Discovery, Interpersonal Isolation, and Self-alienation, was utilized to compare the loneliness in the two samples.

The causes of loneliness in homeless youth.

Both homelessness and loneliness are pervasive in North America. In this study, the author compared the causes of the loneliness experienced by young homeless youth (n = 113) with that of counterparts in the general population (n = 211) who answered a 30-item yes-no questionnaire. The results identified 5 causes of loneliness: personal inadequacy, developmental deficits, unfulfilling intimate relationships, relocation or significant separations, and social marginality.

Determinants of loneliness of young adult drug users.

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.

Criminal offense type and the causes of loneliness.

This study is an examination of the influences of incarceration on perceived causes of loneliness. A heterogeneous prison population was divided into five homogeneous subgroups (sex offenders, violent offenders, property offenders, drug-related offenders, and a category that contained all other miscellaneous offenders) whose loneliness experiences were then compared. Three hundred fifty-six incarcerated male offenders and 501 men from the general population were recruited on a voluntary basis.

Terminal illness and coping with loneliness.

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 coping strategies used by HIV/AIDS patients, by individuals diagnosed with cancer, and by the general population. Forty-three HIV/AIDS patients, 38 cancer patients, and 53 participants from the general population answered a 34-item questionnaire.

Loneliness and the life cycle.

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.