An online intervention showed a delayed effect on loneliness in older adults
A cognitive and behavioral intervention led to lower loneliness at the final follow-up than a healthy-lifestyle control, while related interpersonal outcomes were mixed.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The online intervention produced lower loneliness than the control at the final follow-up in older adults selected for elevated loneliness. Participants also rated it more favorably. This supports further study, but the abstract does not show how large the loneliness difference was or whether participants experienced a meaningful improvement in daily life.
The abstract gives no effect size or confidence interval for loneliness. It therefore cannot establish the size or precision of the benefit, and the authors call for testing in larger samples.
What researchers found
Loneliness at 6 months
CLI versus the healthy-lifestyle control: statistically significant difference; effect size not reported.
What the intervention targeted
The program addressed thoughts and behaviors linked to feeling disconnected from others and feeling like a burden. Both interventions were well tolerated and had similar dropout, while CLI received higher satisfaction and credibility ratings.
Related feelings changed unevenly
Both groups showed reductions in feeling disconnected and burdensome, with nonsignificant differences between conditions. An analysis of change over time indicated a larger reduction in perceived burdensomeness with CLI, producing a mixed pattern across these related outcomes.
The original publication
Combating loneliness in older adults: A randomized clinical trial evaluating the acceptability and efficacy of a brief, technology-delivered intervention.
Robison M, Prostko S, Edenbaum E et al.
J Affect Disord · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41759673
- Record checked
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