A Life Course, Intergenerational Perspective on Loneliness

The present study relied on 15 dyads of adult children and their older parent to better understand intergenerational family relations from a life course perspective. Interviews were analyzed relying on qualitative thematic analysis, identifying similarities and differences within and between interviews and dyads. Our analysis resulted in three major themes. The first concerns the important role of intergenerational family relation as a means to define and conceptualize the experiences of loneliness and ways of coping with loneliness. The second theme concerned intergenerational relations as a cause (and at times a remedy) of loneliness. The third theme concerns the ability of the dyad's members to reflect on the level of loneliness of the other member in the intergenerational dyad. The findings stress the importance of intergenerational family relations throughout the life course and highlight the importance of adopting an intergenerational lens as a possible means to address loneliness.