Table A1.
Statements on the loneliness experienced by Korean adults.
| Cluster | Statement | Relevance M (SD) |
|---|---|---|
| Cluster 1 | Emotional distress due to actual or anticipated absence of connection in relationships | 3.64 (0.97) |
| Sub-cluster 1 | Solitude due to the absence of intimate relationships | 3.73 (0.96) |
| 12 | There is no one I can deeply share my thoughts and feelings with. | 4.44 (0.80) |
| 14 | I do not have anyone to lean on or rely on. | 4.38 (0.87) |
| 13 | When difficult times arise, there is no one to help me. | 4.16 (0.88) |
| 11 | I feel lonely because I want comfort but cannot express my feelings. | 4.16 (0.63) |
| 52 | There is a void due to the death of parents, family members, etc. | 3.97 (1.03) |
| 44 | In the organization I belong to, there is no one to share my feelings with. | 3.88 (0.75) |
| 80 | When I am alone on important days (e.g., birthdays), I feel like I am inadequate. | 3.88 (1.07) |
| 16 | I feel empty when I am away from loved ones. | 3.84 (0.88) |
| 41 | When I cannot relate to or participate in the topic of conversation at gatherings, I feel like I am the odd one out. | 3.81 (0.90) |
| 61 | There is no one who values me as much as I value myself. | 3.56 (1.05) |
| 77 | There are not many people to share my interests and hobbies with. | 3.50 (0.92) |
| 38 | I feel lonely because I cannot engage in physical intimacy with my loved one. | 3.41 (1.13) |
| 17 | There is limited interaction or contact with people within the organization. | 3.31 (1.03) |
| Sub-cluster 2 | Fear of being alone | 3.51 (0.98) |
| 62 | I feel like I have to deal with my emptiness or difficult emotions on my own. | 4.28 (0.77) |
| 51 | It feels empty because it seems like there is no one in this world to trust. | 3.81 (0.86) |
| 37 | Even though I have been living diligently, I suddenly feel powerless and alone. | 3.75 (0.95) |
| 48 | It feels like a precious presence will disappear from my side. | 3.72 (1.05) |
| 43 | There is no one at work who supports me. | 3.72 (0.92) |
| 46 | It feels like I cannot belong or establish roots anywhere. | 3.69 (0.78) |
| 69 | It feels like I will not have a family and will be alone. | 3.38 (1.21) |
| Cluster 2 | Emotional distance from oneself or from others in a relationship | 3.74 (0.91) |
| Sub-cluster 1 | Dissatisfaction in a relationship due to unmet expectations | 3.78 (0.91) |
| 15 | It feels like I have no one on my side if those close to me do not show interest or care about important matters. | 4.25 (0.67) |
| 2 | When close relationships, such as family or lovers, become distant, it feels like I am alone in this world. | 4.25 (0.80) |
| 7 | If people I thought were close to me do not fully understand me, it feels like they are distant. | 4.09 (0.86) |
| 25 | It is disappointing when the other person does not care about me as much as I care about them. | 4.06 (0.84) |
| 78 | Someone who was once very close (e.g., children, a very close friend) is gradually becoming distant. | 4.00 (1.05) |
| 33 | When those close to me do not believe what I say, I feel like I’m disconnected from everyone. | 3.88 (0.83) |
| 26 | It feels like the other person does not give their heart to me as much as I give mine to them. | 3.84 (0.85) |
| 71 | When the other person does not focus on me, it feels like I am not valuable. | 3.84 (1.02) |
| 5 | It feels empty when we stop having heart-to-heart conversations in a familiar relationship. | 3.75 (1.11) |
| 63 | I distance myself because I fear getting hurt more if l rely on others. | 3.72 (1.02) |
| 67 | When I am going through a tough time and the other person cannot fully understand or help me, it feels lonely. | 3.59 (0.84) |
| 8 | Even if I express my feelings honestly, it feels like the other person will not understand. | 3.53 (0.95) |
| 68 | It feels lonely when loved ones feel lonely or hurt because of me. | 3.53 (1.95) |
| Sub-cluster 2 | Self-alienation and loss of self in relationships | 3.52 (0.88) |
| 58 | It is disheartening when I feel like my true thoughts and emotions are not respected. | 4.19 (0.90) |
| 72 | Over time, the expectations of people and the yearning for relationships decrease. | 3.72 (0.81) |
| 59 | It feels futile when I ignore my own needs to consider others. | 3.44 (0.91) |
| 9 | I feel bitter when I cannot express my own hardships due to a desire to support the other person. | 3.53 (0.92) |
| 66 | When loved ones are going through a tough time and I can only watch because I can’t help them, it creates distance between people. | 3.22 (0.79) |
| 57 | In close relationships (family, lovers, etc.), when everything has to be shared, it feels like I am disappearing. | 3.03 (0.92) |
| Cluster 3 | Powerlessness and emptiness due to being directionless | 3.65 (0.99) |
| Sub-cluster 1 | Powerlessness felt during difficulties | 3.78 (0.99) |
| 29 | I feel worthless when my worth is not acknowledged. | 4.38 (0.79) |
| 74 | When I have not achieved anything, I feel worthless. | 4.25 (0.92) |
| 1 | When I feel like I have not done well in relationships (roles or functions), my heart sinks. | 4.03 (0.82) |
| 30 | It feels desolate because it seems like everyone else is happier than me. | 3.94 (0.98) |
| 32 | Others seem to have much more than me. | 3.91 (1.03) |
| 28 | When it feels like my peers are receiving more recognition, I feel left behind. | 3.84 (1.05) |
| 55 | When I receive negative evaluations, I feel like a failure. | 3.81 (0.82) |
| 39 | When things do not go as planned in my relationships or life, it feels like my life is not my own. | 3.81 (0.86) |
| 75 | I feel like my valuable actions or things are taken lightly or not respected. | 3.75 (0.88) |
| 54 | It seems like neither society nor my family needs me. | 3.75 (1.02) |
| 53 | I feel like a useless person in this society. | 3.63 (0.94) |
| 73 | Sometimes, not only others, but I also do not believe in myself. | 3.63 (1.01) |
| 34 | When I cannot fit into the mainstream, I feel useless. | 3.56 (0.95) |
| 50 | In a rapidly changing world, it feels like I am standing still alone. | 3.56 (1.08) |
| 31 | When I see happy people on social media, it feels like I am the only one falling behind. | 3.53 (0.95) |
| Sub-cluster 2 | Bewilderment like a boat adrift in a vast sea | 3.63 (1.04) |
| 45 | It is bewildering not knowing where I am heading in the face of an uncertain future. | 4.06 (0.98) |
| 21 | Being too busy, I miss out on precious and important things. | 3.88 (1.04) |
| 22 | I am so busy that I do not even have time to focus on my own thoughts and feelings. | 3.81 (1.09) |
| 60 | When I look back on my life, it feels like I can never go back to those times. | 3.59 (1.13) |
| 47 | The idea of someday dying and disappearing from this world feels empty. | 3.19 (1.00) |