Loneliness around the world
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Loneliness as a global phenomenon
Loneliness as a global phenomenon
In 2018, I moved to Myeik, southern Myanmar, for one year where I started conducting research on older adults' loneliness for my Master's thesis. Ever since, my work on older people's loneliness in Southeast Asia has challenged misconceptions about the social lives of older people in lower- and middle-income countries, showing that loneliness is a threat to healthy aging across the globe. While evidence illustrates that loneliness is a phenomenon deeply embedded in social determinants of health, such as poverty, stigma, and migration, across countries, there are also cultural differences in the way people cope with loneliness.
In 2018, I moved to Myeik, southern Myanmar, for one year where I started conducting research on older adults' loneliness for my Master's thesis. Ever since, my work on older people's loneliness in Southeast Asia has challenged misconceptions about the social lives of older people in lower- and middle-income countries, showing that loneliness is a threat to healthy aging across the globe. While evidence illustrates that loneliness is a phenomenon deeply embedded in social determinants of health, such as poverty, stigma, and migration, across countries, there are also cultural differences in the way people cope with loneliness.
Chronic loneliness as risk factor for dementia
Chronic loneliness as risk factor for dementia
Whereas loneliness may be transient for some people, others experience loneliness persistently. In collaboration with the Framingham Heart Study, I have demonstrated links between chronic loneliness and brain health. Our research shows that the risk for developing cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and reduced brain volume increases among people who experience persistent loneliness, compared to transient or no loneliness. These studies jointly raise questions about the "right time" of targeted interventions to prevent chronic loneliness, supporting a precision health approach.
Whereas loneliness may be transient for some people, others experience loneliness persistently. In collaboration with the Framingham Heart Study, I have demonstrated links between chronic loneliness and brain health. Our research shows that the risk for developing cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and reduced brain volume increases among people who experience persistent loneliness, compared to transient or no loneliness. These studies jointly raise questions about the "right time" of targeted interventions to prevent chronic loneliness, supporting a precision health approach.
Valuing older people's contributions
Valuing older people's contributions
Older people have proximal and evolutionary motives to provide care and meaningfully contribute to society, also known as generativity. Combining psychological research with the idea from feminist economics about the value of unpaid care, I developed a theory and participatory intervention during my PhD to address older people's social relationship expectations for generativity (contributing meaningfully) and respect (feeling valued). This theory, called the Social Relationship Expectations Framework, has been awarded with the APA Early Career Outstanding Paper Award 2023 and the intervention with Myanmar migrants in Thailand has been awarded with the King's Engaged Research Award 2025 for global participatory research.
Older people have proximal and evolutionary motives to provide care and meaningfully contribute to society, also known as generativity. Combining psychological research with the idea from feminist economics about the value of unpaid care, I developed a theory and participatory intervention during my PhD to address older people's social relationship expectations for generativity (contributing meaningfully) and respect (feeling valued). This theory, called the Social Relationship Expectations Framework, has been awarded with the APA Early Career Outstanding Paper Award 2023 and the intervention with Myanmar migrants in Thailand has been awarded with the King's Engaged Research Award 2025 for global participatory research.
My current and future research focuses on the following areas:
My current and future research focuses on the following areas:
i. How can we understand loneliness in under-researched contexts through the lens of social relationship expectations?
i. How can we understand loneliness in under-researched contexts through the lens of social relationship expectations?
ii. How can we employ participatory methods as tailored loneliness interventions?
ii. How can we employ participatory methods as tailored loneliness interventions?
iii. How can we ensure social connection and mental health in the context of climate change?
iii. How can we ensure social connection and mental health in the context of climate change?
I am grateful for having been supported by external funding, including from the NIH, Volkswagen Foundation, Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Andrea-von-Braun Foundation, DAAD, Asienhaus, and the British Society of Gerontology.
I am grateful for having been supported by external funding, including from the NIH, Volkswagen Foundation, Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Andrea-von-Braun Foundation, DAAD, Asienhaus, and the British Society of Gerontology.
NIH U19 Framingham Heart Study Brain Aging Program
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