Background: Aims of this multi-study investigation were to expand the research on social connectedness (Lee & Robbins, 1995, 1998) to investigate associations with physical health indices. A multi-study approach was utilized to identify independent associations of social connectedness with somatic distress and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and to apply belongingness and loneliness theoretical frameworks to reveal potential pathways from social connectedness to health. Methods: Social connectedness and somatic symptoms severity were measured in a sample of college students (Study 1, N = 486) and replicated with HRQOL outcomes in a sample of individuals with ongoing symptoms of chronic illness (Study 2, N = 225). The third study added loneliness and stress measures and focused on HRQOL as an outcome (Study 3, N = 280).Results: Social connectedness consistently emerged as a significant and independent predictor of HRQOL and somatic symptom severity, with standardized coefficients ranging from − 0.22 for somatic distress to 0.28 for physical functioning, and 0.24–0.26 for general health. In Study 3, mediation findings showed that stress partially explained the connection between social connectedness and HRQOL. Conclusions: Findings suggest that a sense of self as being more connected with the social world is important for physical health, with this relationship partially accounted for by stress. Addressing social connectedness may be an important consideration in health research and practice.

背景：这项多项研究的目的是扩大社会联系的研究（Lee & Robbins，1995，1998），以调查与身体健康指数的关联。采用多项研究方法来确定社会联系与躯体痛苦和健康相关生活质量（HRQOL）的独立关联，并应用归属感和孤独理论框架来揭示从社会联系到健康的潜在途径。方法：在大学生样本中测量社会联系和躯体症状严重程度（研究 1，N  = 486），并在患有持续慢性疾病症状的个体样本中重复 HRQOL 结果（研究 2，N  = 225）。第三项研究增加了孤独感和压力测量，并重点关注 HRQOL 作为结果（研究 3，N  = 280）。结果：社会联系始终是 HRQOL 和躯体症状严重程度的重要且独立的预测因子，标准化系数范围为躯体不适的 - 0.22 到身体功能的 0.28，以及一般健康的 0.24-0.26。在研究 3 中，中介结果表明，压力部分解释了社会联系与 HRQOL 之间的联系。结论：研究结果表明，自我意识与社会世界的联系对于身体健康很重要，而这种关系部分是由压力造成的。解决社会联系可能是健康研究和实践中的一个重要考虑因素。