Addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care: a pilot feasibility study
IntroductionLoneliness among emerging adults is common and is associated with poor physical and mental health. Most loneliness interventions have not been adapted nor tested in primary care that can broadly reach this population. This study aims to pilot test the feasibility, acceptability, and prel...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1470725/full |
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| author | Kris Pui Kwan Ma Brennan Keiser Melissa Garcia Chialing Hsu Karina Cortez Ashley Johnson Ajla Pleho Mary C. Curran Kelly Schloredt Kwun C. G. Chan Kari A. Stephens Sebastian T. Tong |
| author_facet | Kris Pui Kwan Ma Brennan Keiser Melissa Garcia Chialing Hsu Karina Cortez Ashley Johnson Ajla Pleho Mary C. Curran Kelly Schloredt Kwun C. G. Chan Kari A. Stephens Sebastian T. Tong |
| author_sort | Kris Pui Kwan Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionLoneliness among emerging adults is common and is associated with poor physical and mental health. Most loneliness interventions have not been adapted nor tested in primary care that can broadly reach this population. This study aims to pilot test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of two adapted interventions –cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and social prescribing (SP) – on reducing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care.MethodsParticipants aged 18-25, who were seen in primary care and met the cut-off score on the UCLA-3 loneliness, were assigned to either CBT (N=6) or SP (N=9). Both group interventions were delivered virtually for five weeks. Outcomes included the 20-item UCLA loneliness scale, PHQ-9 depression, and GAD-7 anxiety. Ten qualitative interviews were conducted to understand participants’ experience of the interventions and effects on their loneliness.ResultsOf 15 participants (11 women, mean age = 22), 14 of them completed either intervention. Results from paired T-tests showed pre-post reductions in loneliness, depression, and anxiety for both CBT and SP interventions, though they were statistically non-significant. Four themes described participants’ i) experience of loneliness, ii) changes in self and behavior, iii) barriers and facilitators to participation, and iv) suggestions for intervention adaptations.DiscussionsThe results suggest that it may be feasible to treat loneliness in emerging adults in primary care with adapted interventions like CBT and SP. Further research with larger sample sizes and pragmatic, randomized controlled trial designs are needed to test the effectiveness of these interventions in primary care settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-18fcb299d1544ee69e2af30f822239fd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-18fcb299d1544ee69e2af30f822239fd2025-08-20T03:49:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-05-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.14707251470725Addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care: a pilot feasibility studyKris Pui Kwan Ma0Brennan Keiser1Melissa Garcia2Chialing Hsu3Karina Cortez4Ashley Johnson5Ajla Pleho6Mary C. Curran7Kelly Schloredt8Kwun C. G. Chan9Kari A. Stephens10Sebastian T. Tong11Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesIntroductionLoneliness among emerging adults is common and is associated with poor physical and mental health. Most loneliness interventions have not been adapted nor tested in primary care that can broadly reach this population. This study aims to pilot test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of two adapted interventions –cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and social prescribing (SP) – on reducing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care.MethodsParticipants aged 18-25, who were seen in primary care and met the cut-off score on the UCLA-3 loneliness, were assigned to either CBT (N=6) or SP (N=9). Both group interventions were delivered virtually for five weeks. Outcomes included the 20-item UCLA loneliness scale, PHQ-9 depression, and GAD-7 anxiety. Ten qualitative interviews were conducted to understand participants’ experience of the interventions and effects on their loneliness.ResultsOf 15 participants (11 women, mean age = 22), 14 of them completed either intervention. Results from paired T-tests showed pre-post reductions in loneliness, depression, and anxiety for both CBT and SP interventions, though they were statistically non-significant. Four themes described participants’ i) experience of loneliness, ii) changes in self and behavior, iii) barriers and facilitators to participation, and iv) suggestions for intervention adaptations.DiscussionsThe results suggest that it may be feasible to treat loneliness in emerging adults in primary care with adapted interventions like CBT and SP. Further research with larger sample sizes and pragmatic, randomized controlled trial designs are needed to test the effectiveness of these interventions in primary care settings.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1470725/fulllonelinessyoung adultsemerging adultsprimary carecognitive behavioral therapysocial prescribing |
| spellingShingle | Kris Pui Kwan Ma Brennan Keiser Melissa Garcia Chialing Hsu Karina Cortez Ashley Johnson Ajla Pleho Mary C. Curran Kelly Schloredt Kwun C. G. Chan Kari A. Stephens Sebastian T. Tong Addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care: a pilot feasibility study Frontiers in Psychiatry loneliness young adults emerging adults primary care cognitive behavioral therapy social prescribing |
| title | Addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care: a pilot feasibility study |
| title_full | Addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care: a pilot feasibility study |
| title_fullStr | Addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care: a pilot feasibility study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care: a pilot feasibility study |
| title_short | Addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care: a pilot feasibility study |
| title_sort | addressing loneliness in emerging adults in primary care a pilot feasibility study |
| topic | loneliness young adults emerging adults primary care cognitive behavioral therapy social prescribing |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1470725/full |
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