Abstract
Loneliness is a common experience in populations experiencing mental health problems. Associations with symptoms of psychopathology are prevalent, but little is known about the diversity of symptom profiles in people suffering from prolonged and distressing loneliness. The current study sought to investigate the existence of subgroups of loneliness and common forms of psychopathology in a sample of adults (n = 332) seeking treatment for their loneliness. Using latent profile analysis, five profiles were identified and differences in demographic factors were investigated. The profiles differed mainly in the severity of symptoms of depression, worry, and social anxiety, with the largest profile exhibiting minimal-to-mild symptoms (n = 109) across these indicators. The second largest group was characterized primarily by high ratings of social anxiety (n = 90). Overall, three of the five profiles, encompassing roughly half of the sample, scored at a clinical level on mental health symptom measures. Age was inversely related to symptom severity among the profiles, indicating that the older subgroups of the sample exhibited milder symptoms, particularly on social anxiety. The results provide insight into the heterogeneity of the clinical symptoms of people suffering from loneliness and add important knowledge that could help inform how to best intervene to help this population.