Journal of Affective Disorders Reports · Published 2026-07-01 · DOI 10.1016/j.jadr.2026.101126
Natasha C. Taylor, Natasha L. Gallant
Loneliness in older adults is a prevalent social and public health issue that can lead to a variety of serious physical and psychological consequences in the long-term, yet experimental methods for studying its immediate emotional impacts remain understudied among older adults. This study investigated the effectiveness of two loneliness-induction techniques—video stimuli and autobiographical recall—in evoking loneliness and related emotional states (e.g., sadness, negative affect) in older adults. It also examined the roles of gender, trait loneliness, depressive symptoms, and social connection on loneliness. Results indicated that both methods increased loneliness and negative affect, while reducing positive affect, with video stimuli producing the strongest and most consistent emotional responses. Autobiographical recall was less effective, potentially due to memory reconstruction biases and age-related changes in autobiographical specificity. Trait loneliness and depression were associated with elevated baseline distress and reduced emotional reactivity. These findings support the use of these experimental methods of loneliness induction among older adults and underscore the importance of individual differences. Given the severe consequences of loneliness, confirming the use of experimental methods of loneliness induction offers future researchers the opportunity to examine its cognitive, physiological, and behavioural components in controlled settings, ultimately informing intervention development.
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Taylor, N., Gallant, N. (2026). Evaluating experimental paradigms for inducing loneliness in older adults: An examination of emotional responses. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2026.101126