Social isolation in mid-life: associations with psychological distress, life satisfaction and self-rated health in two successive British birth cohorts

Purpose This study examines how different forms of social isolation, such as living alone, lack of community engagement, and unemployment, are associated with mental health in mid-life (ages 42-46), a life stage often overlooked when examining the impacts of social isolation.

Using longitudinal data (1999-2016) from two British birth cohort studies: 1970 British Cohort Study N=16,585 and the 1958 National Child Development Study N=15,806, this study investigated whether different forms of isolation have independent effects, contribute to cumulative risk, or interact additively or multiplicatively.

Independent effects varied by isolation type and mental health outcomes. Being out of employment was linked to higher psychological distress and lower life satisfaction and self-rated health, while living alone was only associated with lower life satisfaction. Limited contact with friends and relatives and a lack of community engagement were associated with lower life satisfaction and self-rated health. Greater social isolation corresponded to increased psychological distress, lower life satisfaction, and poorer self-rated health, demonstrating cumulative risk. Effects appeared additive rather than multiplicative. No consistent sex or cohort differences were observed.

The study underscores the need to examine both separate and combined effects of social isolation across the complete mental health state. Isolation in its various forms was detrimental for mental health in mid-life and was most consistently linked to lower life satisfaction. Efforts to reduce isolation and its negative mental health impacts must recognise the complexity of these experiences. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funding Statement UKs Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grant number: ES/T007575/1 Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: University College London, UCL Social Research Institute, Centre for Longitudinal Studies. (2024). 1970 British Cohort Study. [data series]. 11th Release. UK Data Service. SN: 200001, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-Series-200001 University College London, UCL Social Research Institute, Centre for Longitudinal Studies. (2024). National Child Development Study. [data series]. 14th Release. UK Data Service. SN: 2000032, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-Series-2000032 I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Footnotes ↵+ Shared senior authors Statements and Declarations: We thank the UKs Economic and Social Research Council for funding this research (grant number: ES/T007575/1). The article has been edited down for submission. Data Availability Data openly available via the UK Data Service: University College London, UCL Social Research Institute, Centre for Longitudinal Studies. (2024). 1970 British Cohort Study. [data series]. 11th Release. UK Data Service. SN: 200001, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-Series-200001 University College London, UCL Social Research Institute, Centre for Longitudinal Studies. (2024). National Child Development Study. [data series]. 14th Release. UK Data Service. SN: 2000032, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-Series-2000032