Effect of loneliness on mental health and cognition: A study on middle-aged and older adults in India

Objectives: The article assesses the impact of loneliness and age on the mental health and cognitive functioning of individuals aged 45 and above in the Indian context. The mediating effect of marital status and age on the way loneliness impacts individuals’ cognition and mental health is examined. Methods: Data were obtained from the pilot wave of Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, and scores of 1578 participants were considered for analysis. Standardised and validated measures were employed to measure loneliness, mental health and cognition of the participants. Multivariate analysis was employed to investigate the impact of loneliness and age on cognition and mental health. Structural equation modelling was used for evaluating the mediating effect of age and marital status. Results: Loneliness significantly impacted mental health and global cognitive function, whereas age significantly impacted episodic memory and total cognition. Marital status had a significant mediating role on the impact of loneliness on individuals’ mental health and cognitive functioning. Discussion: Fostering social support among lonely individuals might help mitigate loneliness, enhance their mental health status, and slow down cognitive decline.