The Association Between Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Major Psychiatric Disorders: National Mental Health Survey of Korea 2021

This study examined the mechanism by which social isolation and loneliness may become associated with major psychiatric disorders using the data from a nationally representative sample of Korean adults who participated in the National Mental Health Survey of Korea 2021 (N = 5511, M_age = 48.57, SD = 15.27). Of particular interest were the roles of depressive and anxiety disorders as mediators of the association between social isolation or loneliness, and other psychiatric disorders. Social isolation, loneliness, and psychiatric conditions (i.e., depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, tobacco use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and suicidal behavior) of participants were assessed by trained interviewers administering clinical diagnostic interviews and inventories. The results indicated that only loneliness was related to depressive disorders, while both social isolation and loneliness were related to anxiety disorders. Second, only depressive disorders were associated with alcohol use disorder and suicidal behavior, while anxiety disorders were not associated with any other psychiatric disorders. Specifically, the influence of loneliness on alcohol use disorder and suicidal behavior was significantly mediated by depressive disorders. The findings suggest that social relations and affective disorders may be considered potential targets for intervention in major psychiatric disorders.