La soledad en personas mayores: un estudio cualitativo sobre experiencias subjetivas, factores influyentes y estrategias de afrontamiento

• Fernández-Roses, Daniel ^[1] ; García-Aguña, Sonia ^[2] ; Gallardo-Peralta, Lorena Patricia ^[2] ; Sánchez-Moreno, Esteban ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidad Pontificia Comillas

     Universidad Pontificia Comillas

     Madrid, España

     
  2. [2] Universidad Complutense de Madrid

     Universidad Complutense de Madrid

     Madrid, España

     
• Localización: RES. Revista Española de Sociología, ISSN 1578-2824, ISSN-e 2445-0367, Vol. 34, Nº. 2, 2025 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Special issue on economic sociology and miscellaneous articles; a264)
• Idioma: español
• DOI: 10.22325/fes/res.2025.263
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Loneliness in older adults: a qualitative study on subjective experiences, influential factors, and coping strategies
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo (pdf)
• Dialnet Métricas: 1 Cita
• Resumen
  • español

    La soledad es un fenómeno complejo, dinámico y multifacético, que impacta en el bienestar emocional y físico de las personas mayores. Este estudio cualitativo explora los sentimientos de soledad en treinta personas mayores (20 mujeres y 10 hombres entre 65 y 99 años), identificando los factores que la intensifican y las estrategias de afrontamiento más efectivas. A través de entrevistas semiestructuradas, exploramos cómo la pérdida de seres queridos, los conflictos familiares, los problemas de salud, las dificultades económicas y la brecha tecnológica exacerban la soledad, mientras que la participación social, el apoyo familiar y la resiliencia la mitigan de forma significativa. Los hallazgos subrayan la necesidad de intervenciones que promuevan redes de apoyo y fomenten una visión positiva de la vejez como etapa de crecimiento personal y autonomía.

  • English

    Loneliness is a complex, dynamic, and multifaceted phenomenon that impacts the emotional and physical well-being of older adults. This qualitative study explores the feelings of loneliness in thirty older adults (20 women and 10 men between 65 and 99 years old), identifying the factors that intensify it and the most effective coping strategies. Through semi-structured interviews, we explore how the loss of loved ones, family conflicts, health problems, economic difficulties, and the technological gap exacerbate loneliness, while social participation, family support, and resilience significantly mitigate it. The findings underscore the need for interventions that promote support networks and foster a positive vision of aging as a stage of personal growth and autonomy.

• Referencias bibliográficas
  • Aartsen, M., y Jylhä, M. (2011). Onset of loneliness in older adults: results of a 28-year prospective study. European journal of ageing,...
  • Age UK. (2018). All the lonely people: Loneliness in later life. Age UK. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/siteassets/documents/reports-and-publications/reports-and-briefings/loneliness/loneliness-report_final_2409.pdf
  • Ajrouch, K. J., Antonucci, T. C., y Janevic, M. R. (2001). Social networks among blacks and whites: The interaction between race and age....
  • Allan, G. (2008). Flexibility, friendship, and family. Personal relationships, 15(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2007.00181.x
  • Antonucci, T. C., Ajrouch, K. J., y Birditt, K. S. (2014). The convoy model: Explaining social relations from a multidisciplinary perspective....
  • Ayalon, L., y Levkovich, I. (2019). A systematic review of research on social networks of older adults. The Gerontologist, 59(3), e164-e176....
  • Cacioppo, J. T., y Cacioppo, S. (2014). Social relationships and health: The toxic effects of perceived social isolation. Social and Personality...
  • Carstensen, L. L. (1992). Social and emotional patterns in adulthood: Support for socioemotional selectivity theory. Psychology and aging,...
  • Cattan, M., White, M., Bond, J., y Learmouth, A. (2005). Preventing social isolation and loneliness among older people: A systematic review...
  • Chen, Y., y Feeley, T. H. (2014). Social support, social strain, loneliness, and well-being among older adults: An analysis of the Health...
  • Cornwell, B., y Laumann, E. O. (2015). The health benefits of network growth: New evidence from a national survey of older adults. Social...
  • Courtin, E., y Knapp, M. (2017). Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: A scoping review. Health & Social Care in the Community,...
  • de Jong Gierveld, J., y Havens, B. (2004). Cross-national comparisons of social isolation and loneliness: Introduction and overview. Canadian...
  • Domènech-Abella, J., Lara, E., Rubio-Valera, M., Olaya, B., Moneta, M. V., Rico-Uribe, L. A., Ayuso-Mateos, J. L., Mundó, J., y Haro, J. M....
  • Dykstra, P. A., y Fokkema, T. (2007). Social and emotional loneliness among divorced and married men and women: Comparing the deficit and...
  • Erikson, E. H., y Erikson, J. M. (1998). The life cycle completed (extended version). WW Norton & Company.
  • Fernández-Ballesteros, R., Zamarrón, M. D., y Ruíz, M. A. (2001). The contribution of socio-demographic and psychosocial factors to life satisfaction....
  • Fernández-Mayoralas, G., Schettini del Moral, R., Sánchez-Román, M., Rojo-Pérez, F., Agulló Tomás, M. S., y Forjaz, M. J. (2018). El papel...
  • Gallardo-Peralta, L. P. (2017). The relationship between religiosity/spirituality, social support, and quality of life among elderly Chilean...
  • Gallardo-Peralta, L. P., Sánchez-Moreno, E., Rodríguez-Rodríguez, V., y García Martín, M. (2023). La investigación sobre soledad y redes de...
  • Hawkley, L. C., y Cacioppo, J. T. (2010). Loneliness matters: A theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms. Annals of...
  • Hawkley, L. C., y Kocherginsky, M. (2018). Transitions in loneliness among older adults: A 5-year follow-up in the National Social Life, Health,...
  • Hernández, M. M., y Bámaca-Colbert, M. Y. (2016). A Behavioral Process Model of Familism. Journal of family theory & review, 8(4), 463-483....
  • Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., y Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality:...
  • Karnick, P. M. (2005). Feeling lonely: Theoretical perspectives. Nursing science quarterly, 18(1), 7-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894318404272483
  • Koenig, H. G. (2015). Religion, spirituality, and health: A review and update. Advances in mind-body medicine, 29(3), 19-26. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26026153/
  • Lara, E., Martín-María, N., De la Torre-Luque, A., Koyanagi, A., Vancampfort, D., Carvalho, A. F., y Miret, M. (2019). Does loneliness contribute...
  • Litwin, H., y Shiovitz-Ezra, S. (2011). Social network type and subjective well-being in a national sample of older Americans. The Gerontologist,...
  • López, J., y Díaz, M. P. (2018). El sentimiento de soledad en la vejez. Revista Internacional de Sociología, 76(1), e085. https://doi.org/10.3989/ris.2018.76.1.16.164
  • Lorente, R. (2017). La soledad en la vejez: Análisis y evaluación de un programa de intervención en personas mayores que viven solas [Tesis...
  • Menec, V. H. (2003). The relation between everyday activities and successful aging: A 6-year longitudinal study. The Journals of Gerontology...
  • Neves, B. B., Franz, R. L., Munteanu, C., y Baecker, R. (2018). Adoption and feasibility of a communication app to enhance social connectedness...
  • Nicholson, N. R. (2012). A review of social isolation: An important but underassessed condition in older adults. The Journal of Primary Prevention,...
  • Ó Luanaigh, C., y Lawlor, B. A. (2008). Loneliness and the health of older people. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 23(12),...
  • Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2021). Decade of healthy ageing: Baseline report. Organización Mundial de la Salud. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240017900
  • Perlman, D., y Peplau, L. A. (1981). Toward a social psychology of loneliness. Personal relationships, 3, 31-56.
  • Pinquart, M., y Sorensen, S. (2001). Influences on loneliness in older adults: A meta-analysis. Basic and applied social psychology, 23(4),...
  • Rojas, J., Gallardo, L., y de Gea Grela, P. (2024). Determinantes personales, comportamentales y sociales que previenen los sentimientos de...
  • Rojo-Pérez, F. R. (2011). Calidad de vida y envejecimiento: La visión de los mayores sobre sus condiciones de vida. Fundacion BBVA.
  • Rowe, J. W., y Kahn, R. L. (1997). Successful aging. The gerontologist, 37(4), 433-440. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/37.4.433
  • Ruíz, J. (2009). Análisis sociológico del discurso: Métodos y lógicas. Forum Qualitative Social Research, 10(2), 1-32. https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-10.2.1298
  • Ryff, C. D., y Singer, B. (2003). Flourishing under fire: Resilience as a prototype of challenged thriving. En C. L. M. Keyes y J. Haidt (Eds.),...
  • Santos, G., Galhardo A. L., Campos, E., Kusumota, L., y Caldeira, S. (2023). Resilience in older people: A concept analysis. Healthcare, 11(18),...
  • Sepúlveda-Loyola, W., Rodríguez-Sánchez, I., Pérez-Rodríguez, P., Ganz, F., Torralba, R., Oliveira, D. V., y Rodríguez-Mañas, L. (2020). Impact...
  • Stroebe, W., Schut, H., y Stroebe, M. S. (2005). Grief work, disclosure and counseling: Do they help the bereaved? Clinical psychology review,...
  • van Tilburg, T. G. (2021). Emotional, social, and existential loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Prevalence and risk factors...
  • Vélez, M., Cáceres, C., y Menéndez, S. (2024). Personas mayores y soledad: Conocer para intervenir. Análisis y modificación de conducta, 50(182),...
  • Victor, C. R., Scambler, S. J., Bowling, A., y Bond, J. (2005). The prevalence of, and risk factors for, loneliness in later life: A survey...
  • Victor, C., Scambler, S., Bond, J., y Bowling, A. (2000). Being alone in later life: Loneliness, social isolation and living alone. Reviews...
  • Weiss, R. (1973). Loneliness: The experience of emotional and social isolation. MIT Press.
  • Wenger, G. C., y Keating, N. (2008). The evolution of networks of rural older adults. En Rural Ageing (pp. 33-42). Policy Press. https://doi.org/10.51952/9781847424037.ch004
  • Windle, G. (2012). The contribution of resilience to healthy ageing. Perspectives in public health, 132(4), 159. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913912449572
  • World Medical Association. (2013). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical principles for medical research involving human...
  • Yusta, R. (2019). La soledad no deseada en el ámbito de la Gerontología. Trabajo Social Hoy, (88), 25-42. https://doi.org/10.12960/TSH.2019.0014