Resilience, Loneliness and Mental Well-being in the UK Farming Community

Objectives: Farmers and their families are at risk of loneliness due to frequent solitary working, geographical isolation, and narrow social networks. These circumstances compromise the mental well-being of farming communities, highlighting the need for a better understanding of buffering protective factors. Resilience may buffer the negative effects of loneliness; however, evidence of its role in agricultural populations is scarce. This study considers whether resilience mediates the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in the UK farming community.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey collected data from 320 members of the UK farming community (39.4% Males; Median Age = 43.1 years). Participants completed the Brief Resilience Scale, Loneliness RULS-6 scale, and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (Short). Results: Over half of participants (54.5%) exhibited mental well-being scores indicative of mild or clinical depression. Higher loneliness was associated with lower resilience and mental well-being, whilst higher resilience was related to higher mental well-being. Mediation analysis revealed that resilience reduced, but did not eliminate, the negative relationship between loneliness and mental well-being.Conclusion: This study provides vital evidence that enhancing resilience in UK farming communities plays a crucial role in mitigating the negative effects of loneliness on mental well-being. Our findings underscore the importance of resilience-building as a protective factor against the well-documented mental health challenges faced by people in farming communities.These novel insights support the development of targeted interventions that integrate both resilience-building and loneliness reduction as a comprehensive support package. Our study demonstrates that addressing these factors in tandem is essential for improving the mental well-being of UK farming communities, ensuring people receive the necessary tools and resources to foster strength and connection.