Qualitative Research in Behavioral Sciences

Qualitative Research in Behavioral Sciences

Development of Loneliness in Young and Midlife Women: A Systematic Review of the Associated Factors

Document Type : Review Article

Authors
Asefeh Rashed 1
Keyvan Salehi 2
Hossein Keshavarz Afshar 3
Zahra Jahanbakhshi 4
1 Ph.D. Counseling, Aras International Campus, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Deparment of Counseling, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
4 Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.22077/qrbs.2025.8322.1068
Abstract
Background: Women’s mental health is one of the most crucial key pillars of sustainable and balanced society. Neglecting women’s mental health can endanger the existence and dynamism of society.
Aim: The current study aims to identify the factors associated with the development of loneliness in women through a systematic reviewing of national and international resources.
Method: Based on a systematic review, studies published in international databases PubMed and Scopus as well as the national databases SID and Magiran were examined. Out of 559 articles that were initially reviewed and evaluated using PRISMA checklist, 19 studies were included in the study.
Results: Write the results of data analysis about the hypotheses or main research questions. The contributing factors to the development of loneliness can be categorized into three main groups: individual factors (including physical, emotional, and meaning-related and belief-related factors), familial factors (including communicative, sexual, and emotional relationships), and environmental-social factors (including cultural, supportive, occupational, and educational issues). Among the physical symptoms of individual factors, there were cases such as the emergence and worsening of physical illnesses and chronic fatigue. Regarding the emotional symptoms, there were cases such as aggression and irritability, and in the case of meaning-related and belief-related symptoms, there were cases such as aimlessness, a sense of meaninglessness in life, lack of self-worth, lack of belief in divine values, and absence of spirituality and religious beliefs in life. Of these, the lack of spirituality and meaninglessness in life were more prominent, and across various countries, including Iran, India, Japan, China, Canada, and European nations, studies showed similar results. The lack of emotional and effective relationships was the most prominent factor among familial issues. Social factors included cases such as avoiding family gatherings and social and religious events, feeling of social isolation, and cultural alienation from society.
Conclusions: Results indicated that women may experience loneliness from diverse perspectives depending on social, cultural and geographical contexts as well as their social roles. It seems that development and worsening pathological loneliness arise from the interaction of multiple factors such as excessive individualism, materialistic ideologies and especially the neglect of meaningful spiritual connections and theological orientations. Overlooking the causes of such experiences and their worsening may pose serious risk to both individual and social well-being.
Keywords
social isolation
loneliness consequences
factors in development of loneliness
systematic review
women’s study
woman
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 03 November 2024
  • Revise Date 22 July 2025
  • Accept Date 07 September 2025