Touch deprivation and mental health: Sleep and the need for physical contact during social isolation

Description

The COVID-19 pandemic forced social isolation measures that profoundly affected mental health, sleep quality, and gave rise to the experience of “touch hunger.” This study investigates how the need for physical contact (NPC) relates to mental well-being and sleep during the second lockdown. Surveying 2,827 adults, we estimated a Bayesian Gaussian Copula Graphical Model (BGCGM) and a Bayesian Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG), and conducted mixed ANOVAs. We observed a decline in physical contact with non-family members and in satisfaction with relational lifestyle during the pandemic compared to before. Individuals with a greater need for physical contact (PC) and relational lifestyle satisfaction (RL-SC) reported poorer mental health—including increased worry, depression, and mental fatigue. These findings highlight the potential role of physical touch not only in mental health but also in sleep, underscoring how prolonged social isolation and touch deprivation can negatively impact overall well-being.

Period	27 May 2025
Event title	2025 Annual Meeting of the Belgian Association for Psychological Sciences (BAPS)
Event type	Conference
Location	Brussels, BelgiumShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International