ABSTRACT
Loneliness has been examined in the social sciences as an internal psychological state, suggesting a lack of desired relationships. It refers to “the unpleasant experience that occurs when a person’s network of social relations is deficient in some important way” (Perlman & Peplau, 1981, p. 31). It is often accompanied by less self-esteem and more anxiety. Russell, Peplau, and Ferguson (1979) found lonely people to be unhappy, to feel less attractive, to feel depressed, and to be less satisfied with their relationships with others. In the communication literature, Zakahi and Duran (1985) found loneliness related negatively to communicative competence (i.e., social experience and social confirmation). Bell and Daly (1985) found loneliness related to difficulty in communicating and feeling anxious and apprehensive.
