Loneliness among Migrants in Italy: Risks and Protectors

Abstract

In this study we focused on migrants’ loneliness, in order to unpack risks for, and protective factors against, loneliness among migrants in Italy. Our data come from the ‘Social Condition and Integration among Foreign Citizens’ survey conducted by ISTAT during 2011–2012 on a sample of 25,000 individuals living in a household with at least one foreign-born member. Our results show that economic resources and employment protect from loneliness feelings, whereas education does not. Family and social embeddedness and satisfaction with life are protective factors, whereas discrimination, language barriers, deprived neighbourhoods and poor health are associated with a higher risk of loneliness. Gender is a key lens to consider when analysing loneliness especially in relation to fragile populations like those with a migratory background.