In ‘n nuwe publikasie van gedragswetenskaplike Susan Mettes verken sy die ontstaan van die eensaamheid-epidemie in die Westerse kultuur. 

Die boek is getiteld: The Loneliness Epidemic: Why So Many of Us Feel Alone—And How Leaders Can Respond. Van die flapteks:

Mettes illustrates the profound physical, emotional, and social toll of loneliness in the United States. Surprisingly, her research shows that it is not the oldest Americans but the youngest adults who are loneliest and that social media can actually play a positive role in alleviating loneliness. Mettes highlights the role that belonging, friendship, closeness, and expectations play in preventing it. She also offers meaningful ways the church can minister to lonely people, going far beyond simplistic solutions–like helping them meet new people–to addressing their inner lives and the God who understands them.