Table 2 Estimated trajectories of loneliness by level of conspiracy worldview in midlife

	Intercept of Loneliness in 1992				Linear Slope of Loneliness				Quadratic Slope of Loneliness
	Estimate	z	95% CI	p	Estimate	z	95% CI	p	Estimate	z	95% CI	p
High Conspiracy Worldview in 2020	0.231	3.348	[0.088, 0.375]	0.001	0.397	4.223	[0.185, 0.609]	<0.001	−0.019	−2.714	[−0.033, −0.006]	0.003
Moderate Conspiracy Worldview in 2020	0.004	4.000	[0.002, 0.007]	0.001	0.065	3.095	[0.022, 0.108]	0.002	−0.008	−1.143	[−0.021, 0.005]	0.222
Low Conspiracy Worldview in 2020	−0.223	−3.379	[−0.361, −0.085]	0.001	−0.267	−2.967	[−0.470, −0.065]	0.003	0.004	0.571	[−0.010, 0.017]	0.592

Among participants who reported high levels of conspiracy mentality in mid-adulthood, estimated loneliness levels in adolescence were the highest (i.e., highest positive intercept value) and loneliness increased over time (i.e., positive linear slope). The increase in this group of participants was more rapid in adolescence and early adulthood, and decelerated later in life (i.e., negative quadratic slope). Among participants who reported moderate levels of conspiracy mentality in mid-adulthood, estimated loneliness levels in adolescence were close to the mean (i.e., intercept close to 0) and loneliness increased linearly across time (i.e., positive linear slope and non-significant quadratic slope). Among participants who reported low levels of conspiracy mentality in mid-adulthood, estimated loneliness levels in adolescence were the lowest (i.e., negative intercept), and loneliness decreased linearly across time (i.e., negative linear slope and non-significant quadratic slope). Thus, the greater increase in loneliness participants experienced over time, the more participants endorsed conspiracy worldviews in 2020. All p-values are two-tailed and based on the z statistic. Since the reported analysis is a latent growth curve model with one outcome, adjustments for multiple comparisons are not applicable.

Quick links

Search