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. 711 participants volunteered to answer an 82-item yes/no questionnaire on their loneliness experience and its meaning. Four age groups were compared: 106 youths (13-18 years old), 255 young adults (19-30 years old), 314 adults (31-58 years old), and 36 seniors (60-80 years old). Within and between sex comparisons indicated that loneliness is indeed affected by one's age and sex.