Loneliness is a rapidly growing problem globally and has attracted a great deal of attention in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Young adults, and in particular, those residing in deprived areas are currently the loneliest group in the United Kingdom. Utilizing a novel-free association technique, young adults' experiences of loneliness were explored both prior to (n = 48) and during (n = 35) the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on social representations theory, a thematic analysis revealed that many young adults associated the experience of loneliness with their homes. Therefore, this comparative study aims to investigate how the home features in young adults' representations of loneliness, prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic using a systematic qualitative methodology. Three salient themes emerged from the data in both periods: 'The Lonely Home,' 'The Socially Connected Home' and 'The Safe, Peaceful, Authentic Home'. 'The Lonely Home' and 'The Socially Connected Home' emerged as a dialogical antimony. Representations of home were similar across the two periods; however, there were some notable differences. In particular, the themes 'The Socially Connected Home' and 'The Safe, Peaceful, Authentic Home' were less frequently mentioned by the during-COVID-19 sample where the 'The Lonely Home' was more frequently mentioned by the during-COVID-19 sample. Overall, discussion of the home was more negatively valenced in the during-COVID-19 sample compared to the pre-COVID-19 sample. This comparative, exploratory study alerts us to the nature of the role that home plays in exacerbating or ameliorating loneliness both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

中文翻译：

---

家庭如何在年轻人的孤独表现中发挥作用：COVID-19 的影响。

孤独在全球范围内是一个迅速增长的问题，并在 COVID-19 大流行的背景下引起了极大的关注。年轻人，尤其是居住在贫困地区的年轻人，是目前英国最孤独的群体。利用一种新颖的无关联技术，在 COVID-19 大流行之前（n = 48）和期间（n = 35）探索了年轻人的孤独感。利用社会表征理论，一项主题分析表明，许多年轻人将孤独感与他们的家庭联系起来。因此，这项比较研究旨在使用系统的定性方法来调查在 COVID-19 大流行之前和期间，家庭在年轻人对孤独感的表征中的特征。两个时期的数据都出现了三个突出的主题：' 孤独的家，“社会联系的家”和“安全、和平、真实的家”。“孤独的家”和“社会联系的家”作为对话的对立面出现。两个时期的家庭代表相似；但是，存在一些显着差异。特别是，在 COVID-19 期间的样本中较少提及主题“与社会联系的家”和“安全、和平、真实的家”，而在 COVID-19 期间的样本中更频繁地提及“孤独的家”。 19 个样本。总体而言，与 COVID-19 之前的样本相比，在 COVID-19 期间的样本中对家庭的讨论更负面。这种对比，