Loneliness and mental well-being in later life: the moderating role of locus of control in safeguarding unmarried older adults

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in unmarried older adults, emphasizing the moderating role of locus of control. The objective was to ascertain whether internal, external and powerful others’ control orientations mitigate or exacerbate the psychological impacts of loneliness, with the intention of informing culturally sensitive safeguarding strategies and promoting psychosocial interventions that bolster resilience, autonomy and emotional security in at-risk older populations. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional correlational design was used to analyze the study variables among 200 purposively selected unmarried older adults aged 60 and up from various places across Pakistan. Standardized tools were used, such as the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and the Levenson Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale. Data collection followed ethical guidelines, assuring informed consent and anonymity. SPSS version 26 was used for statistical analyses, which included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and hierarchical multiple regression. Findings Results indicated a significant negative relationship between loneliness and mental well-being. Internal locus of control moderated this relationship by buffering the adverse effects of loneliness, whereas external locus of control intensified them. The “powerful others” dimension exhibited a mild positive moderating influence, suggesting that reliance on supportive figures can offer partial protection. Gender and family structure differences revealed that women and individuals in nuclear families reported higher loneliness and lower well-being. Originality/value This study presents original data from a collectivist setting, framing locus of control as a protective psychological mechanism that informs culturally relevant safeguarding treatments to improve resilience and mental well-being in later life.