Loneliness is and aversive emotional experience generated by the discrepancy between desired and actual interpersonal relationships. Over the last decades, loneliness has been recognized as a public health concern, due to its high prevalence, increasing trend, and association with numerous negative mental and physical health outcomes. Lockdowns and social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to significant surges in loneliness. Understanding, preventing and reducing loneliness have, therefore, become of utmost importance (i.e., loneliness has been listed as a research priority related to the COVID-19 pandemic). An analysis of the literature indicates that: 1. numerous studies have focused on objective risk factors (e.g., social network size), but very little is known about cognitive vulnerability factors leading to chronic loneliness; 2. while interventions targeting cognitive change are most effective, very few studies have implemented coherent, manualized CBT protocols; 3. research has mostly focused on the elderly, but data show that young adults are equally vulnerable to loneliness. To address these caveats, the current project will: 1. explore the role of dysfunctional cognitions and emotion regulation difficulties as vulnerability factors for trait and state loneliness in young adults; 2. assess, in a randomized clinical trial, the efficacy of an internet-based CBT protocol in reducing loneliness (and its physiological correlates) in young adults.
Principal investigator
Professor Aurora Szentágotai-Tătar, PhD
Project team
Professor Andrei C. Miu, PhD
Associate Professor Romana Vulturar, MD PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher Diana Nechita (Cândea), PhD
PhD student Lia-Ecaterina Oltean
PhD student Miruna Canache
Publications
Oltean, L., Șoflău, R., Miu, A., & Szentágotai-Tătar A. (2022). Childhood adversity and impaired reward processing: A meta-analysis. Child Abuse and Neglect, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
Oltean, L. E., Miu, A. C., Șoflău, R., & Szentágotai-Tătar, A. (2022). Tailoring Gratitude Interventions. How and for Whom Do They Work? The Potential Mediating Role of Reward Processing and the Moderating Role of Childhood Adversity and Trait Gratitude. Journal of Happiness Studies, 1-24.
Miu, A. C., Szentágotai-Tătar, A., Balazsi, R., Nechita, D., Bunea, I., & Pollak, S. D. (2022). Emotion regulation as mediator between childhood adversity and psychopathology: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 93, 102141.
Crișan, Ș., Stoia, M., Predescu, E., Miu, A., & Szentagotai-Tătar, A. (2022). The association between childhood adversities and Cluster C personality disorders. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, in curs de revizuire.
Szentágotai-Tătar, A. (2022). Nici un om nu e o insulă. Singurătatea și costurile ei. Studium Generale, UBB, Octombrie 2022.
Canache, M., Patrichi, A., Miu, A., & Szentágotai-Tătar A. (2022). Adverse childhood experiences and loneliness: a meta-analysis. Conferința EABCT, Septembrie 2022, Barcelona
Oltean L.E., Șoflău R., & Szentágotai-Tătar A. (2021). Childhood adversity, reward processing and health during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Mediating Role of Reward Learning. Conferința STUP, Current Trends in Psychology, 2021, Novi Sad, Serbia
Oltean L.E., Miu, A.C., Șoflău R., & Szentágotai-Tătar A. (2021). Adversitățile în copilărie și recunoștința ca trăsătură. Potențiali moderatori ai intervențiilor de recunoștință. Conferința APR Psihologie şi Tehnologie: Conectaţi la Viitor