Loneliness and the built environment: ‘How are objective and subjective built environment factors associated with feelings of loneliness and how can planning and design of the built environment reduce loneliness?’

Loneliness is a growing concern. It can be experienced temporarily in specific moments or situations, known as state loneliness. This often encourages individuals to reach out to others. However, if they are unable to form new connections or improve existing ones, it can lead them to spiral downward and become chronically lonely. Chronic loneliness arises when people perceive a gap between the quality and quantity of their relationships compared to their expectations. Those who feel lonely may
lack close emotional bonds or have fewer social contacts than they desire. This can result in various psychosocial difficulties, mental health issues, and physical well-being concerns. Furthermore, chronic loneliness can lead to a loss of social capital, weakened social bonds, reduced social cohesion, and an increased burden on healthcare services. Addressing loneliness requires understanding its causes, and finding solutions necessitates personalized approaches. The socio-ecological model highlights that loneliness can be influenced by individual factors, the social environment, and the built environment. While it is challenging to make external improvements to individual and social determinants, interventions in the built environment offer viable opportunities. By examining the built environment, it is possible to investigate how its different elements can promote social interaction and connection among individuals. However, there is a significant research gap regarding the specific factors within
the built environment that impact loneliness. Limited studies have investigated how design elements contribute to or alleviate feelings of loneliness. To address the research gap, the objective of this thesis is to synthesize and comprehend how built environment factors are associated with feelings of loneliness and what interventions can be made to reduce loneliness.

Schulten_1257617_ABP_Kemperman_MSc_thesis