Loneliness, psychological distress, and problematic series watching among empty-nest parents of emigrated adult children in India: a cross-sectional exploratory study

Loneliness among empty-nest parents is an emerging mental health concern in India, particularly in the context of adult offspring migration. Limited research has examined its association with emotion dysregulation and problematic series watching. This exploratory cross-sectional study included 64 empty-nest parents aged 45–65 years whose adult children had emigrated abroad, recruited through community outreach with NGO support. Standardized measures assessed loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale), psychological distress (K10), emotion dysregulation (DERS-SF), and problematic series watching (PSWS). Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Loneliness was significantly associated with psychological distress, emotion dysregulation, and problematic series watching ( p < .01). Regression analysis showed that loneliness significantly predicted psychological distress (β = 0.616, p < .001), explaining 55% of the variance after adjusting for age and gender. Loneliness (β = 0.458, p = .001) and emotion dysregulation (β = 0.335, p = .008) also significantly predicted problematic series watching. Women reported higher loneliness and psychological distress than men. Loneliness was associated with greater psychological distress and problematic series watching among empty-nest parents. The findings highlight the need for psychosocial support and adaptive coping strategies in this population.