How loneliness and feeling cut off relate to suicidal thoughts in older adults
Official title: Multimodal assessment of social disconnection as a proximal risk for suicide ideation in late life.
Funded at Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. · NIH-11304511 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will follow people aged 65 and older for a year with frequent reports and behavioral measures to track how social disconnection and sensitivity to rejection relate to suicidal thoughts.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Piscataway, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $663,374 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH133713-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11304511 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 65 or older who experience loneliness, social disconnection, recent interpersonal losses or conflicts, or past/current suicidal thoughts would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People under 65, those with severe cognitive impairment that prevents completing surveys or tasks, or those not experiencing social disconnection may not be eligible or likely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
You would be asked to report your social interactions, moods, and any stressful interpersonal events frequently (for example, daily or weekly) and complete periodic questionnaires about rejection sensitivity and mood. The team will combine self-reports with behavioral measures and other social data to map when feelings of disconnection and negative events lead to suicidal thoughts. They'll look at whether people who are especially sensitive to rejection are more likely to develop suicidal thoughts after social disconnection, and whether social disconnection explains the link between negative interpersonal events and suicidal thoughts. Participation lasts about one year and involves regular check-ins and brief tasks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help spot early warning signs and guide targeted supports to reduce suicidal thoughts among older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked loneliness and interpersonal stress with suicide in older adults, but few studies have used year-long, frequent monitoring, so this multimodal, intensive approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
Piscataway, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cain, Nicole M — Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
- Study coordinator: Cain, Nicole M
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.