Exploring The Causes of Loneliness from Indian Young Adults Perspective: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Loneliness is an adverse psychological and emotional condition characterised by a desire for intimate connections that one cannot achieve and it is associated with poor health and reduced life expectancy. (Hawkley et al., 2003). This study aims to explore the causal factors of loneliness among young adults. This study used an exploratory qualitative research design. The sample comprised of ten young adults studying in different colleges in Chennai, selected using purposive sampling method. The researcher developed a semi-structured interview guide for conducting in-depth interviews. The obtained qualitative data was analysed through thematic analysis, revealing four key themes and several sub-themes that contribute to individuals’ experiences of loneliness. The four main themes are: interpersonal factors, social factors, environmental factors and psychological factors. These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of loneliness and highlight the importance of considering individual-level and contextual factors in interventions to reduce loneliness among college students.