The Loneliness of Refugees in Germany
Losing one’s homeland due to war, persecution, or threat often leads to the loss of social networks, such as friends, acquaintances, and family members, which intensifies loneliness in the host country. Empirical studies also indicate that a lack of language skills hinders integration into the host society, thereby fostering a sense of loneliness (Nguyen et al., 2024). However, little research has explored how regional factors—such as population density and the proportion of foreign citizens—or individual factors—such as the perceived absence of a welcoming culture, experiences of discrimination, and feelings of fear—influence the experience of loneliness.
To address this question, the 2016 IAB-BAMF-SOEP survey was analyzed, focusing on refugees who immigrated to Germany between 2013 and 2015. This period was marked by increasing xenophobic sentiment in Germany (Jäckle et al., 2017). A total of 4,321 refugees were surveyed, and the data was linked to regional information from the INKAR database.
The results of a hierarchical regression analysis revealed that refugees in regions with higher population density and a larger proportion of foreign citizens report significantly lower levels of loneliness. On an individual level, however, the absence of a welcoming culture, experiences of discrimination, fear, and lack of language skills are significantly associated with higher levels of loneliness.
These findings expand the current body of research and suggest valuable intervention points. Specifically, language education programs and initiatives aimed at promoting social networks and fostering a welcoming culture could help reduce loneliness among refugees.