The loneliness experience in a cultural context

Loneliness is a pervasive social problem and is experienced universally. The present study explored the influence of cultural background on the experience of loneliness. Participants in the present study represented three cultural backgrounds: North American, South Asian, and West Indian. Six hundred seventy-nine participants (318 men and 361 women) answered a 15-item loneliness questionnaire. Results indicated significant differences in the experience of loneliness amongst the three cultural subgroups. No gender differences were found within each of these populations.