Social Indicators Research
Volume 38, Issue 3, 1996, Pages 229-243

Social bonding and loneliness after network disruption: A longitudinal study of East German refugees (Article)

Jerusalem M.* , Hahn A. , Schwarzer R.
  • a Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Philosophische Fakultat IV, Institut fur Padagogische Psychologie Sitz, G.-Scholl-Str. 6 Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
  • b Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Philosophische Fakultat IV, Institut fur Padagogische Psychologie Sitz, G.-Scholl-Str. 6 Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
  • c Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Philosophische Fakultat IV, Institut fur Padagogische Psychologie Sitz, G.-Scholl-Str. 6 Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany

Abstract

After the 1989 breakdown of the communist system, 235 East Germans were interviewed three times during the two years following their transition to West Berlin. In moving to the west, the migrants had to deal with various stressors, among them the lack of social ties in their new environment. Fortunately, the number of their new friends increased steadily, and loneliness declined. These changes, however, differed between sexes and age groups. Men made more friends than women, in particular same-sex friends, whereas women knitted ties with both sexes. The young built larger networks than the intermediate age group. Loneliness emerged as an inhibiting factor in the bonding process. The study demonstrates how well these refugees coped with a social crisis. It also examines the roles that loneliness and social bonding played in the readjustment process. © 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Author Keywords

life crisis Migrants Social networks loneliness Refugees Friendship

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-3042883333&doi=10.1007%2fBF00292047&partnerID=40&md5=62d184660a9b2effbf21985e57fd54a1
DOI: 10.1007/BF00292047
ISSN: 03038300
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English