Daily Loneliness and Subjective Well-being as a Function of Older Adults’ Sexual Orientation

Objectives Although loneliness has been consistently linked to poorer subjective well-being (SWB) in later life, little is known about how this association fluctuates daily or whether it varies as a function of sexual orientation. Drawing on evidence regarding the cumulative effects of prolonged stigma exposure and intersecting identities in later life, the present study examines whether the daily coupling between loneliness and SWB differs between older lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) and heterosexual adults, due to the double jeopardy of age and sexual minority related stigmas. Methods Community-dwelling lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual middle-aged and older adults (N = 151, M age = 59.73, range = 50-79) completed measures of daily loneliness and SWB indicated by happiness, positive affect, and negative affect over 14 consecutive days. Results Older LGB respondents reported greater negative affect, as well as lower happiness, compared with their heterosexual counterparts. Additionally, on days characterized by higher loneliness, participants reported lower daily happiness and positive affect and higher negative affect. These day-to-day associations were stronger among older LGB than heterosexual respondents, although no such moderating effect was observed for positive affect. Discussion Examining day-to-day variations in loneliness and SWB among older adults across sexual orientation groups is pivotal. From an applied perspective, this line of research can help identify older minority populations that may be especially susceptible to the detrimental emotional consequences of daily loneliness.