Loneliness as a mediator between family separation and life satisfaction among Ukrainian refugee women in Germany

Abstract The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to one of the largest population displacements in Europe since World War II. Different from other recent refugee flows, Ukrainian refugees are predominantly women, often separated from partners who remained behind. Using data from the “IAB-BiB/FReDA-BAMF-SOEP Survey on Refugees from Ukraine in Germany,” this cross-sectional study examines how separation-related loneliness and integration barriers are associated with life satisfaction among displaced women who arrived in Germany in 2022. Structural equation modeling showed that the association between forced family separation and life satisfaction operated entirely through indirect pathways involving loneliness and integration barriers. Loneliness accounted for the largest share of this indirect association and acted as a key intermediary, being linked to both lower life satisfaction and greater integration challenges, including economic and health concerns and reduced social integration. These results suggest that loneliness may be an important emotional pathway connecting separation to broader integration difficulties and lower well-being, particularly in the early stage of resettlement. Timely measures to address loneliness could help support integration and improve well-being of refugee women affected by separation.