How solitude shapes healthy aging and a sense of connection
Promoting Health Aging through Semantic Enrichment of Solitude Research (PHASES)
This project looks at how time alone and feelings of connectedness relate to mental well‑being in midlife and older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184405 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will bring together and compare studies on solitude and on gerotranscendence to clarify what people mean by being alone and feeling connected later in life. They will re-examine existing surveys and datasets and harmonize different measures so results can be compared across studies. The team will use that unified approach to identify when solitude links to calmness, lower depression, or other positive outcomes for midlife and older adults. The work aims to point to clearer ways to support healthy, peaceful aging.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People in midlife or older who spend time alone or are interested in how solitude affects their mood and sense of connection are the most directly relevant group.
Not a fit: Young people under 21 and those needing immediate clinical care for severe psychiatric crises are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians, caregivers, and community programs recognize when solitude supports mental health and design better supports for healthy aging.
How similar studies have performed: Past studies show mixed results, with some research linking solitude to calmness and lower depression in older adults, but this unified semantic and data-driven approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Amherst, United States
- State University of New York at Buffalo — Amherst, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beverley, John — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Beverley, John
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 below.