Broken Bonds, Lonely Hearts? A Mediation Analysis of Childhood Adversity, Relationship Quality, and Loneliness in Later Life

Key Points

• To investigate how childhood adversity impacts relationship quality and contributes to loneliness in later life.
• Conducted mediation analysis
• Analyzed data on childhood experiences and adult relationships
• Assessed loneliness outcomes in relation to relationship quality
• Identified significant relationships between childhood adversity and later relationship quality
• Found that poorer relationship quality is linked to higher levels of loneliness
• Indicated that improving relationship quality may reduce loneliness in older adults