Based on biologically plausible mechanisms and previous research, it is possible to hypothesize a reciprocal association between sustained attention and loneliness. We investigated this association using a cross-lagged modeling approach. Using data from 6,239 participants aged over 50 in TILDA, a nationally representative study of aging, we used structural equation models to investigate potential cross-lagged associations between sustained attention and loneliness, measured at baseline and again after four years. Sustained attention at baseline had a small association with loneliness four years later, but loneliness at baseline was not associated with sustained attention at follow-up. Auto-regressive associations were strong for both loneliness over time and sustained attention over time. Sustained attention may account for a small proportion of the variance in loneliness over time among older adults, and may constitute a risk factor in the development of loneliness. Implications for the identification of at-risk individuals and the prevention of loneliness are discussed.

中文翻译：

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孤独的SART：爱尔兰人对衰老的纵向研究中的孤独感和持续关注。

基于生物学上可行的机制和先前的研究，有可能假设持续关注与孤独之间存在相互关系。我们使用交叉滞后建模方法研究了这种关联。在全国代表性的TILDA研究中，使用来自6239名50岁以上的参与者的数据，我们使用结构方程模型研究了持续注意力与孤独之间潜在的交叉滞后关联，这些关联在基线时以及四年后再次测量。基线后的持续关注与四年后的孤独感之间存在很小的关联，但是基线时的孤独感与后续随访中的持续关注感无关。自回归协会对于长期的孤独感和持续的注意力都很重要。持续的注意力可能占老年人随时间推移孤独感变化的一小部分，并且可能构成孤独感发展的危险因素。讨论了识别高危人群和预防孤独感的含义。