Loneliness in late adulthood is a public health issue. Thus, understanding the etiology of loneliness is of critical importance. Here, we conceptualize the development of loneliness in late life as dynamic interactions between individual and contextual processes. Specifically, we suggest that loneliness arises if the existing social relationships are unable to meet a set of social expectations. These expectations are fulfilled by three different layers of the social structure: 1) close confidants; 2) broader social networks; and 3) involvement in the community. Although older adults experience losses in their broader network and engage less in the community, they may avoid loneliness by focusing on close confidants. However, these adaptations may make it more difficult for older adults to overcome loneliness.

中文翻译：

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了解晚年的孤独

成年晚期的孤独是一个公共健康问题。因此，了解孤独的病因至关重要。在这里，我们将晚年孤独感的发展概念化为个体和情境过程之间的动态相互作用。具体来说，我们认为，如果现有的社会关系无法满足一系列社会期望，就会产生孤独感。这些期望通过社会结构的三个不同层面来实现：1）亲密的知己；2）更广泛的社交网络；3）参与社区。尽管老年人在更广泛的网络中经历了损失，并且较少参与社区活动，但他们可以通过关注亲密的知己来避免孤独。然而，这些适应可能会让老年人更难克服孤独感。