The Relationship between Social Support Correlates and Feelings of Loneliness among Male UK Recreational Anglers

The benefits of access to blue spaces (exposure to aquatic environments) have been well reported. One common activity conducted in these spaces is recreational angling. Studies have shown that several correlates are associated with recreational angling, including lower incidence of anxiety disorders compared to non-anglers. What is currently unknown, is how measures of social support relate to feelings of loneliness in this population. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine experiences of loneliness and social support in male UK anglers. In total, 1752 participants completed an online survey. Results showed a positive linear trend between the number of friends and family that anglers (a) heard from at least once a month; (b) trust enough to talk about private matters, and (c) could call upon for help and feelings of loneliness. Furthermore, more than half of the sample reported hardly ever or never having feelings of loneliness, suggesting that recreational angling does not affect feelings of loneliness.