Associations between parental bonding, social isolation and loneliness: do associations persist in later life and is isolation a mediator

Abstract

Abstract Background: Poor parental bonding in childhood has been associated with loneliness in younger populations. Whether these associations persists into middle and older adulthood is unclear. Additionally, given the overlapping relationship between loneliness and social isolation we sought to explore the role of social isolation in any associa- tions present i.e. are those reporting worse parental bonding lonely due to less connections or are they more likely to be lonely regardless of isolation.