Table 1 Application of the SPIDER criteria to the research question and eligibility criteria of the current study

Sample

Individuals of any age who describe experiences of loneliness, not including specific clinical populations.

Phenomenon of interest

Loneliness.

Design

Any qualitative research design, e.g. interview or focus group. Mixed-methods designs which include qualitative methods will be included if the qualitative findings are reported separately.

Evaluation

Descriptions of experiences of loneliness.

Research type

Primary qualitative research.