A new study published in Psychological Science reveals that loneliness tends to follow a U-shaped curve across adulthood, decreasing from young adulthood to midlife and increasing in older adulthood. Loneliness, defined as a subjective feeling of lacking meaningful social connections, is a widespread phenomenon that adversely impacts mental and physical health. Some research has suggested a U-shaped trajectory, with higher levels of loneliness in adolescence and older adulthood compared to midlife. However, findings have been inconsistent, partly due to methodological limitations like the reli…