Purpose: To compare levels of depression, perceived loneliness, and relationship-related cognitive distortion in older adults living alone and with their families in rural areas, and determine the mediating relationship between relationship-related cognitive distortion and depression and loneliness. Method: Participants comprised 193 older adults, with 105 living alone and 88 living with their families. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Geriatric Depression Scale–Short Form (GDS-15), Interpersonal Cognitive Distortions Scale, and Loneliness Scale for the Elderly (LSFE). Results: Participants living alone scored significantly higher on the GDS-15 ( t = 6.064, p = .001) and LSFE ( t = 4.727, p = .001) than participants living with their families. Geriatric depression levels significantly predicted cognitive distortion levels (β = 0.7849, p < .001); however, the effect of cognitive distortion levels on loneliness was not statistically significant (β = 0.0325, p = .2121). Conclusion: Depression and loneliness levels of participants living alone were higher than those of participants living with their families. Participants living alone did not tend to establish close relationships.
Bekircan et al. (Thu,) studied this question.