Resilience, Loneliness, and Mental Well-Being in the UK Farming Community
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Farmers and their families are at risk of loneliness due to frequent solitary working, geographical isolation, and narrow social networks. These circumstances compromise the mental well-being of farming communities, highlighting the need for a better understanding of protective psychological factors. Resilience may serve as a pathway between the negative effects of loneliness and mental well-being; however, evidence of its role in agricultural populations is scarce. This study considers whether resilience mediates the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in the UK farming community. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey collected data from 320 members of the UK farming community (39.4% males; 59.4% females, 1.2% prefer not to say; Median age = 43.1 years). The convenience sample was collected through online and paper surveys and promoted via social media, farming groups, auction marts, and agricultural organizations. Participants completed the Brief Resilience Scale, Loneliness RULS-6 scale, and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (Short). RESULTS: Over half of participants (54.5%) scored within a range for mental well-being consistent with possible mild or probable clinical depression. Higher loneliness was associated with lower resilience and mental well-being, whilst higher resilience was related to higher mental well-being. A regression-based mediation analysis with 1,000 bootstrap samples (without covariates) revealed that resilience partially mediates the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in farming community members. CONCLUSION: This study provides vital evidence of the mediating role that resilience plays in the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in UK farming community members. Our findings emphasize the importance of resilience-building as a key mechanism to support the well-documented mental well-being challenges faced by people in farming communities. These findings add to the limited but growing body of evidence that supports the development of targeted interventions that integrate both resilience-building and loneliness reduction as a comprehensive support package. Our study demonstrates that addressing these factors in tandem is essential for improving the mental well-being of UK farming communities, ensuring people receive the necessary tools and resources to foster strength and connection.
Source: Journal of Agromedicine
Authors: Sarah Nyczaj Kyle, Stephen Dunne, Emma Barkus
Institution: Northumbria University
Language: English
Topic: Resilience and Mental Health
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4415807439