Loneliness Among Migrants in Italy: Risks and Protectors

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59670/ml.v18i6.1330

Keywords:

Loneloness, migration, Italy

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.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Eralba Cela, University of Milan

Eralba Cela is assistant professor in Demography in the Department of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Milan. Her work has involved a range of themes situated within population studies with a focus on migration and ageing. Her main research interests are in the fields of migration from the perspective of both sending and receiving countries, ageing and active ageing, health, wellbeing, life course analysis, family studies. Her research has been published in several well-reputed peer-reviewed international journal amongst which International Migration Review, Population Space and Place, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Demographic Research, Ageing and Society,  Journal of Mediterranean Studies.

Elisa Barbiano di Belgiojoso , Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milan-Bicocca

Elisa Barbiano di Belgiojoso is Associate Professor of Demography at the Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods University of Milan-Bicocca (Italy).  Her main research interests are related to migrants’ working trajectory, domestic workers, poverty and immigration, return and onward migration, family reunification, citizenship acquisition, migrants’ health, well-being and loneliness. Her articles have been published in several international and Italian journals amongst which Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Population Space and Place, Demographic Research, and International Migration.

Downloads

Published

2021-11-30

How to Cite

Cela, E., & Barbiano di Belgiojoso , E. (2021). Loneliness Among Migrants in Italy: Risks and Protectors. Migration Letters, 18(6), 637 –. https://doi.org/10.59670/ml.v18i6.1330

Issue

Section

Articles