Network Analysis and Trend Analysis of Urban Loneliness Studies: A Scientometric Approach

Overview

This scientometric study examines the landscape of research on urban loneliness through network analysis and bibliometric methods. Urban loneliness is conceptualized as both a psychological and social phenomenon resulting from disconnection between individuals and their environments, intensified by the complexities of urban life and declining social interactions. The research addresses the need for urban planning to create spaces that mitigate loneliness and its health impacts by first mapping the current state of knowledge in this domain. Using VOSviewer software, the study analyzes 310 articles selected from an initial corpus of 8,362 loneliness-related publications, employing multiple analytical techniques to reveal research trends, influential works, collaborative networks, and knowledge gaps in the field of loneliness studies with particular attention to urban contexts.

Methods and approach

The research employed a pragmatist philosophical foundation within an interpretive paradigm, utilizing descriptive and analytical qualitative methods classified as applied research. The scientometric framework incorporated bibliometric and visualization techniques including co-word analysis, co-authorship analysis, co-citation analysis, and social network analysis. Library research methods supported data collection for literature review and database construction. From an initial unrestricted search yielding 8,362 articles, the researchers tested various extraction methods based on research keywords, iteratively refining the search algorithm until 310 directly relevant articles were selected for co-occurrence analysis. Data analysis was conducted using VOSviewer software, applying Citation Analysis, Co-Citation Analysis, Co-Authorship Analysis, Keyword Analysis, and Publication Analysis models to examine the structure and evolution of the research domain.

Results

Loneliness research exhibited gradual growth from the 1950s through the late 1990s, concentrated in clinical psychology and sociology, before accelerating in the 2000s across social psychology and neuroscience. Exponential growth occurred in the 2010s with studies examining diverse age groups and life circumstances, reaching peak output following the COVID-19 pandemic onset in 2020. Co-word analysis identified core terms including loneliness, social isolation, mental health, depression, social support, older adults, and COVID-19 with highest frequencies. Recent studies introduced coronavirus, pandemics, gender, social media, and welfare status into the discourse, while city and rural emerged as significant terms since 2020. The UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 by Russell (1996) emerged as the most highly cited reference. China and the United States ranked first and second in publication output, with Iran positioned 13th with 7 publications. The United States led in citations with 2,134, followed by the United Kingdom and China. Research appeared across 213 journals, with the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health demonstrating the most significant impact.

Implications

The analysis reveals that while loneliness research has increasingly linked the concept to demographic, social, psychological factors, individual characteristics, and pandemic impacts within urban contexts, significant gaps persist regarding the role of urban environments as exacerbating or causative factors of loneliness. The existing literature demonstrates limited attention to environmental loneliness or urban loneliness specifically arising from individual-urban space interactions, despite extensive coverage of social isolation. The identification of research gaps and emerging themes provides a resource for scholars to develop international collaborative networks, identify key reference sources and highly cited articles, and track emerging keywords. The findings suggest directions for comprehensive, multifaceted research exploring city-loneliness relationships, addressing loneliness as a complex social issue requiring urban planning interventions that consider spatial and environmental dimensions beyond purely social factors.