Feeling lonely? Mizzou researchers are building new ways to help people reconnect

April 1, 2026
Contact: Eric Stann, [email protected]

Missouri residents who are struggling with loneliness or want to learn how to promote social connection now have access to research-based programs designed to help them build a greater sense of belonging.

Researchers at the University of Missouri and MU Extension are leading a statewide effort to address social isolation, a growing public health concern linked to serious physical and mental health risks. The three-year ShowMe Connection project brings together university research, community education and local partnerships to help Missourians, particularly those in rural areas, strengthen social ties and reduce isolation.

"Our goal is to help communities recognize social connection as a vital component of a person's overall health," Kale Monk, an associate professor of human development and family science in Mizzou's College of Education and Human Development, said. "As someone from a rural area myself, we often take pride in having close-knit communities, but we may still experience physical isolation or have fewer people available for support."

Why it matters

Loneliness doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes it shows up at an empty dinner table, the quiet drive home after work or in the sense that challenges can't be understood by others.

"About half of U.S. adults report having experienced loneliness," Monk said. "Around 30 percent say they've felt lonely weekly in the past year, and two in five Americans feel lonely at least sometimes. Those numbers make it clear that this is a widespread issue we can't ignore any longer."

While often viewed as an emotional challenge, loneliness carries serious physical and mental health risks. Research links chronic isolation to heart disease, stroke, depression and cognitive decline - and studies show its impact can rival smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

People experiencing prolonged loneliness also face a significantly higher risk of premature death, while strong relationships are known to support healthy behaviors, improve treatment adherence and boost workplace productivity.

"Relationships are not just a nice luxury," Monk said. "They are a cornerstone of physical and mental health. Our sense of belonging is a fundamental human need."

Building social connections

To support residents in Missouri's rural communities, the project offers courses through MU Extension that help people get involved and strengthen local connections.

Through webinars and in-person classes, these programs provide residents with various ways to build skills for forming strong, healthy relationships. People can take individual classes or participate in "connection cohorts," or small groups that move through programming together and form deeper bonds over time.

Community members can also volunteer as "social connection ambassadors," serving as links between their neighbors and the resources MU Extension provides.

"Ambassadors can help identify individuals who may be struggling but are reluctant to seek help," said Candace Rodman, an MU Extension specialist focused on healthy relationships and social connection. "They also work with Extension specialists and local organizations to create environments where social interaction happens naturally - from improving walkability and organizing events to developing public gathering spaces and encouraging family-friendly workplace practices."

Many of MU Extension's long-standing health and wellness programs already support these goals. Offerings such as Stay Strong Stay Healthy, Walk With Ease and Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention bring people together while promoting physical activity. Evidence-based relationship courses, including those through ShowMe Healthy Relationships, help participants strengthen communication and maintain positive relationships.

Because mental health is closely tied to social well-being, the initiative also includes courses that raise awareness about mental health concerns. The program aims to help people reshape unhelpful thoughts about their own worth and question assumptions about how others see them. These kinds of beliefs, Monk noted, can quietly drive chronic loneliness, so the initiative focuses on replacing them with healthier patterns that support stronger connections.

Researchers hope the initiative will equip residents with practical strategies to foster belonging at a time when social disconnection is rising nationwide.

"A core mission of our land-grant university is delivering resources directly to the people of our state," said Monk, who recently received the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Board of Health and Human Sciences' Outstanding Engagement Award. "This project translates decades of relationship science into tools residents can use in everyday life."

MU College of Education and Human Development

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