International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Review of Loneliness Research Published within 2024-2025: A Bibliometric Analysis and its Implications in India

This study utilizes Bibliometric analysis, extracted from the Scopus database and employs VOSviewer, to explore the global landscape of recent loneliness research from 2024 to 2025. Extracting 396 publications through keyword searches "Loneliness" in title and abstract, the analysis reveals a significant concentration of research output from Western nations, including the USA, UK, and Canada, alongside notable contributions from China and Australia. This highlights the perceived public health importance of loneliness in these regions. However, absence of India among the top 11 publishing countries is observed, despite its vast and diverse population. This absence suggests a potential research gap in addressing loneliness within the Indian context. The co-occurrence of keywords elucidates dominant thematic areas, with clusters emphasizing the mental health implications of loneliness, particularly among vulnerable groups like older adults. The pandemic's impact on adolescent mental health is also prominently featured, with clusters like "adolescents," "Covid-19," and "mental health." These global research trends raise critical questions about their applicability and scope for research in India. The study highlights the necessity to examine the unique challenges faced by India's population with regard to loneliness, considering factors like evolving family structures, work life imbalance and limited social support. Similarly, the impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of the population India must be understood within the context of existing social inequalities and resource limitations. The findings propose for a deeper investigation into the dimensions of loneliness with special reference to India.