Loneliness and somatic complaints: An experience sampling method study

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown a positive relation between retrospectively measured loneliness and somatic complaints. This study investigated the relation between state loneliness and state somatic complaints as well as the direction of this relation in the context of daily life. It was hypothesized that there is a positive contemporaneous association between state loneliness and state somatic complaints as well as a positive bidirectional temporal association.

METHODS: Using the Experience Sampling Method, 16 patients with somatic symptom disorder and 27 participants from the general population received a signal on their smartphones 10 times a day for 14 days to fill out an ESM-item on loneliness and two on somatic complaints. To test our hypotheses, multilevel linear regression models with random effects were estimated.

RESULTS: Associations between state loneliness and state somatic complaints in the context of daily life were demonstrated (B = 0.12, SE = 0.01, p < .001). Temporal analyses revealed, however, that state loneliness (t-1) did not predict somatic complaints (t) in daily life (90-min window; B = 0.01, SE = 0.01, p = .573). Neither did state somatic complaints predict state loneliness (B = 0.02, SE = 0.03, p = .534).

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated contemporaneous associations between state loneliness and state somatic complaints in the context of daily life. However, state loneliness did not predict subsequent state somatic complaints, nor did state somatic complaints predict subsequent state loneliness. Future studies are necessary to further disentangle the complex relationship between loneliness and somatic complaints.