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Loneliness among Older Adults in the Netherlands, Italy, and Canada: A Multifaceted Comparison

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Theo van Tilburg ,
Betty Havens  and
Jenny de Jong Gierveld
Theo van Tilburg*
Affiliation:
Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
Betty Havens
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
Jenny de Jong Gierveld
Affiliation:
NIAS, Wassenaar, The Netherlands
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : Professor Dr. T.G. van Tilburg, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, de Boelelaan 1081, NL-1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (TG.van.Tilburg@fsw.vu.nl)
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Abstract

Loneliness is experienced in many cultures. To properly assess cross-cultural differences, attention should be paid to the level, determinants, and measurement of loneliness. However, cross-cultural studies have rarely taken into account more than one of these. Differences in the level of loneliness were hypothesized on the basis of national differences in partnership, kinship, and friendship, which were assumed to be related to cultural standards within a society. Differences were examined among married and widowed older adults aged 70 to 89 years living independently in the Netherlands (N = 1,847), Tuscany, Italy (N = 562), and Manitoba, Canada (N = 1,134). Loneliness was measured with an 11-item scale. The Manitobans were high on emotional loneliness and the Tuscans were high on social loneliness. Partner status excepted, the determinants were nearly the same across the three locations. Differential item functioning (DIF) related to the three locations was observed for most items. Interactions with gender and the availability of a partner relationship were observed.

Résumé

La solitude est une expérience commune à de nombreuses cultures. Pour évaluer correctement les différences transculturelles, il faut examiner le degré de solitude, ses déterminants et les méthodes de mesure employées. Toutefois, les études transculturelles prennent rarement en compte plus d'un seul de ces facteurs. Ici, l'auteur part de l'hypothèse que les différences enregistrées dans le degré de solitude reflètent les différences nationales face aux relations avec les partenaires, la famille et les amis, différences qu'il suppose liées aux normes culturelles de la société. L'étude porte sur les différences notées chez des aînés mariés et veufs âgés de 70 à 89 ans, qui vivent de façon autonome au Pays-Bas (N = 1847), en Toscane, Italie (N = 562) et au Manitoba, Canada (N = 1134). La solitude a été mesurée à l'aide d'une échelle à 11 items. Les Manitobains ont un score élevé pour la solitude affective et les Toscans pour la solitude sociale. Exception faite du statut civil, les déterminants sont presque identiques dans les trois régions étudiées. Pour la plupart des items, l'auteur examine le rôle du fonctionnement différencié des items (differential item functioning - DIF) dans les trois régions, les interactions avec le sexe et le fait que les sujets étudiés aient ou non un partenaire.

Keywords

aginglonelinessagedcross-cultural differencescultural test biasDIFvieillissementsolitudepersonne âgéedifférences transculturellespartialité du test culturelDIF
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 23 , Special Issue/Numéro special 2: Social Isolation and Loneliness/Isolement social et solitude , Summer/Été 2004 , pp. 169 - 180
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2004

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