Young people have a higher prevalence of loneliness than other age groups, and they are also at risk of depression. Quantitative studies describe a bidirectional association between loneliness and depression, but there is limited understanding of how these influence each other. Little is known about the experience of loneliness among young people with depression. Qualitative approaches may help understand the relationship between loneliness and depression among young people, and how to intervene to improve outcomes. We aimed to conduct a meta-synthesis to understand the complex inter-relationship between loneliness and depression among young depressed people by synthesising evidence from a systematic review of qualitative studies. We conducted a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies capturing experiences of loneliness among young people with depression. We systematically searched six electronic databases for selected search terms, critically appraised eligible studies, and analysed the data from included studies using the approach of thematic synthesis. We used feedback from an inter-disciplinary research workshop to improve reflexivity. Our inclusion criteria identified fourteen studies. Our analysis identified four themes: (1) social withdrawal due to poor mental health, (2) non-disclosure of depression contributing to social distance, (3) the desire to connect, and (4) paradoxes of loneliness and depression. These themes illustrated a range of pathways between depression and loneliness, and a sense of how these might be mutually reinforcing. Our findings suggest that where depressed individuals engage in certain behaviours (withdrawing; not confiding) for a range of reasons, this can lead to feelings of loneliness, an awareness of which worsens their mood, thus perpetuating their depression. Young people with depression experience loneliness as an insurmountable distance between themselves and others. Our findings identified non-disclosure of depression, and the debilitating nature of the depressive symptomatology, as factors perpetuating a vicious cycle of loneliness and depression. They suggest that approaches to tackling the problem might include helping young people communicate about their depression to trusted friends and educating their social networks in how to support them. The wider research literature suggests that cognitive interventions may have a role in shifting maladaptive cognitions about their social world.

中文翻译：

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抑郁症年轻人的孤独体验：文献的定性综合综合。

与其他年龄组相比，年轻人的孤独感更高，他们也有患抑郁症的风险。定量研究描述了孤独和抑郁之间的双向关联，但对它们如何相互影响的理解有限。对于患有抑郁症的年轻人的孤独经历知之甚少。定性方法可能有助于了解年轻人孤独与抑郁之间的关系，以及如何进行干预以改善结果。我们旨在通过综合定性研究的系统评价的证据，进行元综合，以了解年轻抑郁症患者的孤独感和抑郁症之间复杂的相互关系。我们对患有抑郁症的年轻人的孤独经历进行了定性研究的元综合。我们系统地搜索了六个电子数据库中的选定搜索词，严格评估了符合条件的研究，并使用主题综合的方法分析了纳入研究的数据。我们使用来自跨学科研究研讨会的反馈来提高反思性。我们的纳入标准确定了 14 项研究。我们的分析确定了四个主题：（1）由于心理健康不佳导致的社交退缩，（2）不披露导致社交距离的抑郁症，（3）联系的愿望，以及（4）孤独和抑郁的悖论。这些主题说明了抑郁和孤独之间的一系列途径，以及它们如何相互促进的感觉。我们的研究结果表明，如果抑郁症患者出于多种原因从事某些行为（退缩；不倾诉），这可能会导致孤独感，意识到这种孤独感会使他们的情绪恶化，从而使他们的抑郁症长期存在。患有抑郁症的年轻人将孤独感视为自己与他人之间不可逾越的距离。我们的研究结果确定了抑郁症的不披露，以及抑郁症状的衰弱性质，这些因素使孤独和抑郁的恶性循环长期存在。他们建议解决问题的方法可能包括帮助年轻人与可信赖的朋友交流他们的抑郁症，并教育他们的社交网络如何支持他们。