47:(1980). Yalom defined existential isolation as one of three forms of isolation, the other two being intra- and interpersonal isolation. Unlike the other forms, one cannot overcome existential isolation as the gap that separates individuals existentially can never be closed. While every person can experience existential isolation, not everyone might actually feel existentially isolated. Those who do may feel a weaker connection to other individuals and question their beliefs and understanding of the world as they lack social validation.
58:. Only recently have psychologists begun to explore the concept of existential isolation. Existential isolation is the subjective sense that persons are alone in their experience and that others are unable to understand their perspective. Existential isolation thus occurs when people feel that they have a unique worldview unshared by others. Measured as either a state or trait,
290:, which describes attachment in two dimensions, avoidant and anxious. If both of these variables are low, the attachment style is categorised as secure. If the anxious variable is high, the attachment is categorised as anxiously attached. Attachment described by a high score on the avoidant dimension is, as the name proposes, avoidant attachment.
273:
may contribute to gender disparity in
Existential Isolation. Whereas women are thought to be nurturing and emotionally sensitive, men often take on the role of the provider and are seen as independent and emotionally distant. The lack of emotional expression may lead to a greater feeling of isolation
87:
People experiencing existential isolation feel disconnected from others around them, including therapists and friends. They tend to perceive lower levels of social support and are less likely to seek and take treatment. Individuals with existential isolation may have poorer therapy outcomes, are less
252:
versus collectivistic orientation of a society. While collectivist cultures have shown to be less likely to experience existential isolation due to their strong sense of community and social support networks, they are also prone to experience feelings of guilt or shame if they perceive themselves as
296:
While a positive correlation between existential isolation and insecure attachment was found, there is a stronger correlation between existential isolation and avoidant attachment, whereas anxious attachment is closer related to loneliness. The correlation between existential isolation and insecure
231:
Interpersonal isolation refers to a phenomenon where persons feel disconnected from others and experience a shortage of social contact. This can incorporate absence of meaningful connection with others, such as long-lasting relationships, or complete separations, such as staying alone in a room for
156:
The survey assesses how much individuals do or do not feel a sense of existential isolation or connection. Scores on this scale predict different psychological and interpersonal outcomes such as causing uncertainty about one's perception of reality or impairing one’s sense of belonging. Feelings of
132:
One method of measurement, the
Existential Isolation Scale (EIS), was developed by Helm et al., and Pinel et al., which requires respondents to indicate (on a scale from 1 -10 e.g. 1 = Strongly disagree, 10 = Strongly agree) to which extent they agree or disagree to a set of six survey questions. A
62:
studies have shown
Existential isolation undermines life meaning and decreases well-being; people scoring high on Existential Isolation report lower levels of need satisfaction, purpose in life, and meaningfulness and increased death-related concerns. There is a positive correlation between EI and
261:
A distinction between gender can account for different levels of existential isolation. Men are reported to consistently score higher in existential isolation compared to women. This difference may be mediated by the importance of community values. Women tend to place more importance on communal
212:
In comparison to intra- and interpersonal isolation, existential isolation is a phenomenon that everyone is affected by, because we all are uniquely alone in our sensory experiences. It doesn’t matter how much people try to bond with others, and share thoughts or feelings, their experiences are
184:
State existential isolation can be elicited by acute experiences such as specific events or individual comparisons to other reference groups. Individuals who encounter such situations or events and feel existentially isolated through them, are inclined to reduce such feelings. This can lead to
185:
feelings of loneliness or a lower identity with any group associated with said experiences. If the individual is unsuccessful in reducing state existential isolation, or those acute experiences seem to happen regularly, state existential isolation can turn into trait existential isolation.
177:
A different kind of method, developed by Helm et al., proposes that feelings of existential isolation can be differentiated into being either situational (state existential isolation) or dispositional (trait existential isolation), both thought to be caused by acute and chronic influences.
265:
Cultural differences can be taken into account. Smaller gender differences were found in collectivistic cultures that place more importance on interdependence overall. The gap was greater for individualistic cultures that emphasise independence.
22:
is the subjective feeling that every human life experience is essentially unique and can be understood only by themselves, creating a gap between a person and other individuals, as well as the rest of the world. Existential isolation falls under
282:
The link between existential isolation and attachment is barely explored. In a meta-study, three studies are compared which present a tendency towards a positive correlation between existential isolation and insecure attachment.
253:
letting down the group or failing to live up to cultural norms. Individuals from individualistic cultures may be more likely to experience existential isolation due to the lack of social support networks and a focus on individualism.
123:
Due to the high subjectivity of existential isolation, it has been a key point for psychological researchers to develop measurements that might indicate individual differences regarding feelings of existential isolation.
326:
There is relationship between non normative group memberships, which included race, ethnicity, sexuality, and the experiences of existential isolation. Participants with a non normative group membership, such as
114:
Professionals can bypass existential isolation-related issues by ensuring authenticity in the counselling relationship, engaging in I-sharing, and encouraging active participation in behavioral healthcare.
213:
always unique to them. Intra- and interpersonal isolation are forms of isolation which an individual is able to overcome but individuals who experiences existential isolation are unable to overcome it.
192:. It is characterised by an experience, in which individuals feel alone in their experience, as though other do not, or cannot relate to or understand their subjective experience. It can lead to
262:
values than men, which are group-oriented and lead to a feeling of interconnection and interdependence. Men may endorse more in agentic values, which are associated with self-reliance.
133:
participant that scores low on the survey is inclined to feel more existentially isolated while high scores on the survey indicate existential connection. The items on the survey are:
300:
Causality between attachment style and existential isolation is unclear, because attachment is formed in early childhood and therefore not influenced by existential isolation.
320:. This has been found to be connected to diminished physical well-being and reduced responsiveness to treatment services concerning improvement of psychosocial functioning.
312:
or community may also experience a greater sense of existential isolation. This includes the population of justice-involved people. Justice involved people are experiencing
216:
Intrapersonal isolation refers to a phenomenon where persons feel disconnected from themselves concerning one’s own psyche. Types of intrapersonal isolation are for example
181:
According to his model, different circumstances, that can be both acute and chronic, can elicit either state existential isolation or trait existential isolation.
1017:"The experiences in close relationships—Relationship Structures Questionnaire: A method for assessing attachment orientations across relationships"
714:"Existential Isolation as a Correlate of Mental Health Problems, Predictor of Treatment Outcome, and Moderator of a Patient-Therapist Match Effect"
323:
People who belong to underrepresented communities report higher levels of existential isolation than those people belonging to majority groups.
368:
248:
play a role in how individuals experience and cope with existential isolation. One cultural factor that impacts existential isolation is the
390:
Park, Y., & Pinel, E. C. (2020b). Existential isolation and cultural orientation. Personality and
Individual Differences, 159, 109891.
667:"Existential isolation as a correlate of clinical distress, beliefs about psychotherapy, and experiences with mental health treatment"
572:
42:
200:
and resulting chronically depleted needs, lower global in-group identity, and increase of an individual’s vulnerability to
332:
217:
665:
Constantino, Michael J.; Sommer, Robert K.; Goodwin, Brien J.; Coyne, Alice E.; Pinel, Elizabeth C. (December 2019).
189:
1224:
88:
satisfied with the mental health treatment they receive, and have worse beliefs about the therapist’s expertise.
712:
Constantino, Michael J.; Gaines, Averi N.; Coyne, Alice E.; Boswell, James F.; Kraus, David R. (February 2023).
188:
Trait existential isolation can be elicited by chronic causes such as sociocultural factors or aspects of the
828:
Helm, Peter J.; Jimenez, Tyler; Bultmann, Michael; Lifshin, Uri; Greenberg, Jeff; Arndt, Jamie (2020-06-01).
249:
221:
1112:
Pinel, Elizabeth C.; Helm, Peter J.; Yawger, Geneva C.; Long, Anson E.; Scharnetzki, Liz (June 2022).
939:
829:
1015:
Fraley, R. Chris; Heffernan, Marie E.; Vicary, Amanda M.; Brumbaugh, Claudia Chloe (September 2011).
770:"Feeling alone in your subjectivity: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Model (STEIM)"
104:
1141:
1091:
967:
857:
799:
741:
694:
553:
461:
245:
59:
1200:
1182:
1133:
1083:
1044:
1036:
959:
917:
899:
849:
733:
686:
644:
626:
545:
453:
433:
364:
287:
201:
193:
158:
96:
92:
76:
72:
68:
1114:"Feeling out of (existential) place: Existential isolation and nonnormative group membership"
1190:
1172:
1125:
1075:
1028:
951:
907:
891:
841:
789:
781:
725:
713:
678:
634:
616:
535:
445:
358:
166:
51:
28:
1113:
1062:
Goossens, Luc; Marcoen, Alfons; van Hees, Sofie; van de
Woestijne, Odile (December 1998).
432:
Helm, Peter J.; Medrano, Michael R.; Allen, John J. B.; Greenberg, Jeff (October 2020).
1195:
1160:
912:
666:
639:
604:
224:. Patients suffering from intrapersonal isolation often disconnect their emotions from
38:
33:
24:
769:
403:
1218:
1145:
1095:
971:
861:
803:
745:
698:
465:
434:"Existential Isolation, Loneliness, Depression, and Suicide Ideation in Young Adults"
313:
768:
Helm, Peter J.; Greenberg, Jeff; Park, Young Chin; Pinel, Elizabeth C. (July 2019).
557:
524:"A prisoner of one's own mind: Identifying and understanding existential isolation"
309:
197:
938:
Helm, Peter J.; Rothschild, Lyla G.; Greenberg, Jeff; Croft, Alyssa (2018-11-01).
522:
Pinel, Elizabeth C.; Long, Anson E.; Murdoch, Erin Q.; Helm, Peter (2017-01-15).
486:
293:
Together anxious and avoidant attachment are broadly called insecure attachment.
988:
1177:
955:
895:
845:
621:
540:
523:
449:
879:
274:
and sense that their feelings and experiences cannot be understood by others.
270:
143:
People around me tend to react to things in our environment the same way I do.
108:
55:
1186:
1137:
1129:
1087:
1040:
963:
903:
853:
737:
729:
690:
630:
549:
457:
391:
225:
1204:
1048:
921:
648:
91:
People who experience existential isolation are more likely to partake in
140:
I often have the same reactions to things that other people around me do.
1063:
794:
1079:
682:
573:"Two distinct forms of isolation predict belief in conspiracy theories"
328:
162:
149:
Other people usually do not understand my experiences. (Reverse scored)
100:
64:
1161:"Existential isolation and well-being in justice-involved populations"
1016:
605:"Existential isolation and well-being in justice-involved populations"
111:
and existential isolation results in the greatest risk of depression.
1032:
152:
People often have the same “take” or perspective on things that I do.
785:
830:"Existential isolation, loneliness, and attachment in young adults"
317:
297:
attachment does not imply a causation from one side or another.
878:
Brown, Vanessa; Morgan, Tezonia; Fralick, Andrew (2021-05-01).
491:
International
Society for the Science of Existential Psychology
940:"Explaining sex differences in existential isolation research"
1159:
Sease, Thomas B.; Cox, Cathy R.; Knight, Kevin (2022-12-14).
146:
People do not often share my perspective. (Reverse scored)
107:, and/or worse experience from therapy. A combination of
487:"Alone in a crowd? Existential isolation and connection"
286:
The generally accepted theory to describe attachment is
880:"Isolation and mental health: thinking outside the box"
603:
Sease, Thomas B.; Cox, Cathy R.; Knight, Kevin (2022).
137:
I usually feel like people share my outlook on life.
50:Much work in psychology has focused on feelings of
308:Individuals who feel that they do not belong to a
335:reported higher levels of existential isolation.
1064:"Attachment style and loneliness in adolescence"
173:State-Trait Existential Isolation Model (STEIM)
8:
1068:European Journal of Psychology of Education
1118:Group Processes & Intergroup Relations
392:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.109891
1194:
1176:
911:
793:
718:Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
638:
620:
539:
438:Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
157:existential isolation predict heightened
774:Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology
344:
1107:
1105:
944:Personality and Individual Differences
834:Personality and Individual Differences
823:
821:
819:
817:
815:
813:
763:
761:
759:
757:
755:
528:Personality and Individual Differences
1010:
1008:
983:
981:
933:
931:
873:
871:
517:
515:
513:
511:
509:
507:
481:
479:
477:
475:
427:
425:
423:
7:
671:Journal of Psychotherapy Integration
660:
658:
598:
596:
594:
592:
386:
384:
382:
380:
352:
350:
348:
14:
208:Intra and interpersonal isolation
128:Existential Isolation Scale (EIS)
316:because they have a history of
228:to avoid despair and distress.
37:(1927) and further explored by
357:Yalom, Irvin D. (2020-03-17).
1:
571:Dolan, Eric W. (2024-05-08).
1241:
1178:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1092313
956:10.1016/j.paid.2018.06.032
896:10.1136/gpsych-2020-100461
846:10.1016/j.paid.2020.109890
622:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1092313
541:10.1016/j.paid.2016.09.024
450:10.1521/jscp.2020.39.8.641
577:PsyPost - Psychology News
360:Existential Psychotherapy
44:Existential Psychotherapy
1130:10.1177/1368430221999084
1021:Psychological Assessment
730:10.1521/jscp.2023.42.1.1
1165:Frontiers in Psychology
609:Frontiers in Psychology
222:dissociative disorders
27:. It was addressed by
190:socialisation process
20:Existential isolation
16:Philosophical concept
246:Cultural differences
241:Cultural differences
236:Contributing factors
83:Clinical perspective
493:. 28 September 2021
95:, and have greater
77:conspiracy theories
1080:10.1007/bf03173103
884:General Psychiatry
683:10.1037/int0000172
257:Gender differences
370:978-1-5416-4744-2
288:attachment theory
269:Gender roles and
194:social withdrawal
73:suicidal ideation
1232:
1225:Emotional issues
1209:
1208:
1198:
1180:
1156:
1150:
1149:
1109:
1100:
1099:
1059:
1053:
1052:
1033:10.1037/a0022898
1012:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
985:
976:
975:
935:
926:
925:
915:
875:
866:
865:
825:
808:
807:
797:
765:
750:
749:
709:
703:
702:
662:
653:
652:
642:
624:
600:
587:
586:
584:
583:
568:
562:
561:
543:
519:
502:
501:
499:
498:
483:
470:
469:
429:
418:
417:
415:
414:
400:
394:
388:
375:
374:
354:
278:Attachment style
93:suicide ideation
75:, and belief in
52:social isolation
29:Martin Heidegger
1240:
1239:
1235:
1234:
1233:
1231:
1230:
1229:
1215:
1214:
1213:
1212:
1158:
1157:
1153:
1124:(4): 990–1010.
1111:
1110:
1103:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1014:
1013:
1006:
997:
995:
993:psycnet.apa.org
987:
986:
979:
937:
936:
929:
877:
876:
869:
827:
826:
811:
786:10.1002/jts5.41
767:
766:
753:
711:
710:
706:
664:
663:
656:
602:
601:
590:
581:
579:
570:
569:
565:
521:
520:
505:
496:
494:
485:
484:
473:
431:
430:
421:
412:
410:
408:psycnet.apa.org
402:
401:
397:
389:
378:
371:
363:. Basic Books.
356:
355:
346:
341:
333:latinas/latinos
306:
280:
259:
250:individualistic
243:
238:
210:
175:
130:
121:
85:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1238:
1236:
1228:
1227:
1217:
1216:
1211:
1210:
1151:
1101:
1074:(4): 529–542.
1054:
1027:(3): 615–625.
1004:
977:
927:
890:(3): e100461.
867:
809:
780:(3): 146–157.
751:
704:
677:(4): 389–399.
654:
588:
563:
503:
471:
444:(8): 641–674.
419:
395:
376:
369:
343:
342:
340:
337:
305:
304:Stigmatisation
302:
279:
276:
258:
255:
242:
239:
237:
234:
232:several days.
209:
206:
196:, feelings of
174:
171:
154:
153:
150:
147:
144:
141:
138:
129:
126:
120:
117:
84:
81:
34:Being and Time
25:existentialism
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1237:
1226:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1206:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1188:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1170:
1166:
1162:
1155:
1152:
1147:
1143:
1139:
1135:
1131:
1127:
1123:
1119:
1115:
1108:
1106:
1102:
1097:
1093:
1089:
1085:
1081:
1077:
1073:
1069:
1065:
1058:
1055:
1050:
1046:
1042:
1038:
1034:
1030:
1026:
1022:
1018:
1011:
1009:
1005:
994:
990:
989:"APA PsycNet"
984:
982:
978:
973:
969:
965:
961:
957:
953:
949:
945:
941:
934:
932:
928:
923:
919:
914:
909:
905:
901:
897:
893:
889:
885:
881:
874:
872:
868:
863:
859:
855:
851:
847:
843:
839:
835:
831:
824:
822:
820:
818:
816:
814:
810:
805:
801:
796:
791:
787:
783:
779:
775:
771:
764:
762:
760:
758:
756:
752:
747:
743:
739:
735:
731:
727:
723:
719:
715:
708:
705:
700:
696:
692:
688:
684:
680:
676:
672:
668:
661:
659:
655:
650:
646:
641:
636:
632:
628:
623:
618:
614:
610:
606:
599:
597:
595:
593:
589:
578:
574:
567:
564:
559:
555:
551:
547:
542:
537:
533:
529:
525:
518:
516:
514:
512:
510:
508:
504:
492:
488:
482:
480:
478:
476:
472:
467:
463:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
428:
426:
424:
420:
409:
405:
404:"APA PsycNet"
399:
396:
393:
387:
385:
383:
381:
377:
372:
366:
362:
361:
353:
351:
349:
345:
338:
336:
334:
330:
324:
321:
319:
315:
311:
303:
301:
298:
294:
291:
289:
284:
277:
275:
272:
267:
263:
256:
254:
251:
247:
240:
235:
233:
229:
227:
223:
219:
214:
207:
205:
203:
199:
195:
191:
186:
182:
179:
172:
170:
168:
164:
160:
151:
148:
145:
142:
139:
136:
135:
134:
127:
125:
118:
116:
112:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
89:
82:
80:
78:
74:
70:
66:
61:
57:
53:
48:
46:
45:
40:
36:
35:
30:
26:
21:
1168:
1164:
1154:
1121:
1117:
1071:
1067:
1057:
1024:
1020:
996:. Retrieved
992:
947:
943:
887:
883:
837:
833:
795:10150/641493
777:
773:
721:
717:
707:
674:
670:
612:
608:
580:. Retrieved
576:
566:
531:
527:
495:. Retrieved
490:
441:
437:
411:. Retrieved
407:
398:
359:
325:
322:
310:social group
307:
299:
295:
292:
285:
281:
268:
264:
260:
244:
230:
215:
211:
198:hopelessness
187:
183:
180:
176:
155:
131:
122:
113:
90:
86:
49:
43:
41:in his book
32:
31:in his book
19:
18:
950:: 283–288.
724:(1): 1–28.
271:stereotypes
119:Measurement
39:Irvin Yalom
998:2023-05-15
840:: 109890.
582:2024-05-09
497:2023-05-15
413:2023-05-15
339:References
218:repression
202:depression
159:depression
109:loneliness
97:depression
69:depression
56:loneliness
1187:1664-1078
1146:234806487
1138:1368-4302
1096:144987281
1088:0256-2928
1041:1939-134X
972:150292664
964:0191-8869
904:2517-729X
862:214298220
854:0191-8869
804:149894847
746:256791191
738:0736-7236
699:164435305
691:1573-3696
631:1664-1078
550:0191-8869
534:: 54–63.
466:229514837
458:0736-7236
226:cognition
60:empirical
1219:Category
1205:36591099
1049:21443364
922:34131627
649:36591099
558:89611802
329:lesbians
105:distress
1196:9795838
913:8149428
640:9795838
163:anxiety
101:anxiety
65:anxiety
54:and/or
1203:
1193:
1185:
1144:
1136:
1094:
1086:
1047:
1039:
970:
962:
920:
910:
902:
860:
852:
802:
744:
736:
697:
689:
647:
637:
629:
556:
548:
464:
456:
367:
314:stigma
167:stress
165:, and
1142:S2CID
1092:S2CID
968:S2CID
858:S2CID
800:S2CID
742:S2CID
695:S2CID
554:S2CID
462:S2CID
318:crime
1201:PMID
1183:ISSN
1134:ISSN
1084:ISSN
1045:PMID
1037:ISSN
960:ISSN
918:PMID
900:ISSN
850:ISSN
734:ISSN
687:ISSN
645:PMID
627:ISSN
546:ISSN
454:ISSN
365:ISBN
1191:PMC
1173:doi
1126:doi
1076:doi
1029:doi
952:doi
948:134
908:PMC
892:doi
842:doi
838:159
790:hdl
782:doi
726:doi
679:doi
635:PMC
617:doi
536:doi
532:105
446:doi
331:or
220:or
1221::
1199:.
1189:.
1181:.
1171:.
1169:13
1167:.
1163:.
1140:.
1132:.
1122:25
1120:.
1116:.
1104:^
1090:.
1082:.
1072:13
1070:.
1066:.
1043:.
1035:.
1025:23
1023:.
1019:.
1007:^
991:.
980:^
966:.
958:.
946:.
942:.
930:^
916:.
906:.
898:.
888:34
886:.
882:.
870:^
856:.
848:.
836:.
832:.
812:^
798:.
788:.
776:.
772:.
754:^
740:.
732:.
722:42
720:.
716:.
693:.
685:.
675:29
673:.
669:.
657:^
643:.
633:.
625:.
615:.
613:13
611:.
607:.
591:^
575:.
552:.
544:.
530:.
526:.
506:^
489:.
474:^
460:.
452:.
442:39
440:.
436:.
422:^
406:.
379:^
347:^
204:.
169:.
161:,
103:,
99:,
79:.
71:,
67:,
1207:.
1175::
1148:.
1128::
1098:.
1078::
1051:.
1031::
1001:.
974:.
954::
924:.
894::
864:.
844::
806:.
792::
784::
778:3
748:.
728::
701:.
681::
651:.
619::
585:.
560:.
538::
500:.
468:.
448::
416:.
373:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.