Loneliness trajectories from middle childhood to pre-adolescence: Impact on perceived health and sleep disturbance

Developmental trajectories of loneliness in Chinese children: Environmental and personality predictors

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to identify the developmental trajectories of loneliness in Chinese children and examine the predictive roles of domain-specific environmental factors (i.e., family dysfunction and satisfaction of relatedness needs at school), personality factors (i.e., neuroticism and extraversion), and their interactions in these developmental trajectories.

METHODS

A total of 702 Chinese children (Mage = 8.95, SD = 0.76; 54.1 % boys) participated in assessments at six time points over three years at six-month intervals. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to estimate trajectory classes for loneliness, followed by multivariate logistic regression analyses exploring associations between these classes and predictors.

RESULTS

GMM analyses identified three distinct trajectories of loneliness: "low-stable" (81.5 %), "moderate-increasing" (9.4 %), and "high-decreasing" (9.1 %). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that family dysfunction and neuroticism served as risk factors for adverse loneliness trajectories, while satisfaction of relatedness needs at school and extraversion acted as protective factors. Furthermore, the interaction between family dysfunction and extraversion indicated that extraversion did not mitigate the adverse effects of high family dysfunction on children's loneliness, emphasizing the vital need to support positive family functioning among all children.

LIMITATIONS

This study did not incorporate biological variables (e.g., genetics), which are crucial in the evolutionary theory of loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of three distinct trajectory groups of children's loneliness, along with key environmental and personality predictors, suggests that interventions should be tailored to each group's unique characteristics.

The effect of physical activity on the subjective well-being of rural left-behind children: the mediating role of discrimination perceptions and loneliness

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the mediating role of perceptions of discrimination and loneliness on the relationship between physical exercise and subjective well-being in rural left-behind children.

METHODS

A package of surveys were administered to junior high school students and senior primary school students (n = 592) in the countryside, which including the scale of the Physical Activity Behavior Scale, Subjective Well-Being Scale, Perceived Discrimination Scale, and Loneliness Scale. Structural Equation Modeling and Bootstrap were used to analyze the data to investigate the chain mediating effect of perceived discrimination and loneliness.

RESULTS

(1) There was a positive correlation between physical activity and subjective well-being, and the direct prediction of subjective well-being was significant. (2) Physical activity negatively predicted perceptions of discrimination, and perceptions of discrimination positively predicted loneliness and negatively predicted subjective well-being, and loneliness could negatively predict subjective well-being. (3) Perception of discrimination and loneliness significantly mediated the relationship between physical activity and subjective well-being. The mediating effect consisted of indirect effects generated by 2 paths, one was that physical exercise indirectly affected subjective well-being by affecting discrimination perception, and the other was that physical exercise further acted on subjective well-being through the chain mediating effect from discrimination perception to loneliness.

CONCLUSION

Physical exercise can directly affect the subjective well-being of rural left-behind children. Physical exercise can indirectly affect left-behind children's subjective well-being through discrimination perceptions, and it can also indirectly affect left-behind children's subjective well-being through the chain mediating effect of discrimination perceptions and loneliness.

Cultural Dimensions Moderate the Association between Loneliness and Mental Health during Adolescence and Younger Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cultural factors, such as country or continent, influence the relationship between loneliness and mental health. However, less is known about how cultural dimensions moderate this relationship during adolescence and younger adulthood, even if these dimensions manifest as country or continent differences. This study aims to examine the potential influence of Hofstede's cultural dimensions on this relationship using a three-level meta-analysis approach. A total of 292 studies with 291,946 participants aged 10 to 24 were included in this study. The results indicate that cultural dimensions, such as individualism vs. collectivism, indulgence vs. restraint, power distance, and long-term vs. short-term orientation, moderated the associations between loneliness and social anxiety, stress, Internet overuse, and negative affect. The association between loneliness and mental health was not moderated by cultural dimensions, such as masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. These findings suggest that culture's influence on the association between loneliness and mental health is based on a domain-specific mechanism.

The Role of School Connectedness and Friend Contact in Adolescent Loneliness, and Implications for Physical Health

The current study investigated how adolescents' loneliness relates to school connectedness, classmate support, teacher support, and offline and online communication with friends. We also examined the association between loneliness, physical health, and sleep. Data came from the Scottish Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC). The total sample was 2983 adolescents (F = 1479 [49.6%]) aged 14-17 years (M = 15.66, SD = 0.39) from 117 secondary schools in Scotland. Results showed that (1) higher teacher support, classmate support, and offline contact with friends predicted lower levels of loneliness, (2) online friendship engagement predicted higher levels of loneliness, and (3) poor health and sleep were positively associated with loneliness. The study offers new findings, highlighting the role played by classmates/peers and teachers in reducing loneliness. Supporting previous research, we also found associations between loneliness, poor sleep, and worse physical health.

Trajectories of Loneliness During Adolescence Predict Subsequent Symptoms of Depression and Positive Wellbeing

There is a need to identify the outcomes of changes in loneliness during adolescence, and to consider this within a multidimensional framework of loneliness. This study considered the effects of different trajectories of change in Isolation Loneliness and in Friendship Loneliness upon both positive wellbeing and symptoms of depression. To achieve this, 1782 (43% female; 12.92 years old at the start of the study, SD = 1.60) young people took part in a longitudinal study with four data points across 2 years. Four Isolation Loneliness trajectories and five Friendship Loneliness trajectories were identified. Youth who experienced low levels of Isolation Loneliness that subsequently increased appear to be at particular risk for poor outcomes. Similarly, initially high levels of Friendship Loneliness that decreased rapidly, or which began at a low level and only increased marginally, seem to also be a risk. Loneliness is a multi-dimensional construct and its development during adolescence impacts upon young people's depressive symptomatology and positive mental wellbeing.

Longitudinal relationships across emotional distress, perceived emotion regulation, and social connections during early adolescence: A developmental cascades investigation

Early adolescence is a vulnerable period for emotional distress. Both emotion regulation and social connection to peers and family adults are understood to be associated with distress. However, existing longitudinal work has not explored these constructs jointly in a way that estimates their reciprocal relationships over adolescence. We present a three-wave random-intercepts cross-lagged panel model of reciprocal relationships between emotional distress, perceived emotion regulation, and social connections during early adolescence, among 15,864 participants from education settings in disadvantaged areas of England, over three annual waves (at ages 11/12, 12/13, and 13/14 years). Findings showed that emotional distress and perceived emotion regulation share a negative relationship over time, and that higher perceived emotion regulation predicts greater family connection in the initial stages of early adolescence (from age 11-12 to 12-13 years). Findings also indicated that connection to peers is positively associated with family connection, but also positively predicts slightly greater distress in the later stages of early adolescence (from age 12-13 to 13-14 years). Findings indicate a risk of negative spiral between emotional distress and perceived emotion regulation in early adolescence, and that social connection may not necessarily play the role we might expect in reducing distress.

Identifying characteristics of adolescents with persistent loneliness during COVID-19: A multi-country eight-wave longitudinal study

Background

Elevated loneliness experiences characterise young people. While loneliness at this developmental juncture may emerge from age-typical upheaval in social relationships, there is little data on the extent to which young people experience high and persistent levels of loneliness, and importantly, who is most vulnerable to these experiences. Using the widespread social restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which precipitated loneliness in many, we aimed to examine adolescents' loneliness profiles across time and the demographic predictors (age, sex, and country) of more severe trajectories.

Methods

Participants aged 12-18 years, recruited into a multi-wave study (N = 1039) across three sites (UK, Israel, and India) completed a 3-item loneliness measure fortnightly across 8 timepoints during the pandemic.

Results

Latent class growth analysis suggested 5 distinct trajectories: (1) low stable (33%), (2) low increasing (19%), (3) moderate decreasing (17%), (4) moderate stable (23%), and (5) high increasing (8%). Females and older adolescents were more likely to experience persistently high loneliness.

Conclusions

These findings indicate a need for interventions to reduce loneliness in adolescents as we emerge from the pandemic, particularly for those groups identified as being at highest risk.

Bedtime procrastination related to loneliness among Chinese university students during post-pandemic period: a moderated chain mediation model

BACKGROUND

This study examined the relationship between loneliness and bedtime procrastination among Chinese university students, the mediating effects of COVID-19 risk perception and self-regulatory fatigue, and connectedness to nature's protective role, post pandemic.

METHODS

We recruited 855 students to complete the Loneliness, Perceived Risk of COVID-19 Pandemic, Self-Regulatory Fatigue, Bedtime Procrastination, and Connectedness to Nature Scales. Data for descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and moderated chain mediation effects were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 and process 3.5 macros.

RESULTS

Loneliness positively correlated with bedtime procrastination, COVID-19 risk perception mediated the impact of loneliness on bedtime procrastination, self-regulatory fatigue mediated the effect of loneliness on bedtime procrastination, and COVID-19 risk perception and self-regulatory fatigue mediated the effect between loneliness and bedtime procrastination. Furthermore, connectedness to nature mediated the impact of COVID-19 risk perception on self-regulatory fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate the effects and potential mechanisms of loneliness on bedtime procrastination after the relaxation of the pandemic prevention and control policy in China from the perspective of self-regulatory resources and provide insights into improving university students' sleep routine and mental health post pandemic.

Depressive symptoms and loneliness among early adolescents: a psychometric network analysis approach

BACKGROUND

Previous studies demonstrate a high prevalence of depression and loneliness among adolescents. Although they often co-occur, the relationship between symptoms of depression and loneliness remains poorly understood. This study investigates: (a) the symptoms of depression that are connected to loneliness; (b) the role played by loneliness in the network of depression symptoms; and (c) whether the method used to measure loneliness (single-item direct or multi-item indirect) affects the relationship of loneliness with depressive symptoms.

METHODS

Participants were 496 Polish adolescents (50.8% girls) aged 11 to 13, who completed: (a) the 10-item Major Depressive Disorder subscale of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale; (b) the 11-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (indirect loneliness), and (c) a single direct question evaluating loneliness: 'I'm lonely'. Networks were estimated using a Gaussian Graphical Model.

RESULTS

Loneliness shows a direct relationship with three affective symptoms of depression: sadness, worthlessness, and anhedonia, which mediate relationships with somatic symptoms. In contrast to previous studies, loneliness has the lowest level of centrality among all elements of the network. The method used to assess loneliness did not significantly affect the connections between loneliness and depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Loneliness and depression overlap since they are formed by the same cognitive biases and deficits in emotion regulation but differ in the level of generality. In loneliness, they have an interpersonal context, while symptoms of depression can be intrapersonal. This helps us to understand why cognitive interventions, as compared to those which are social, are more effective in reducing loneliness.

Associations between social loneliness trajectories and chronotype among adolescents

Late chronotype during adolescence is a critical risk factor for poor physical and mental health among adolescents. While social loneliness is confirmed to negatively influence sleep behaviors, the long-term effect of social loneliness on chronotype remains unknown. This study aims to investigate whether social loneliness trajectories from middle childhood to adolescence are associated with chronotype in late adolescence and examine the potential sex differences in these associations. Data were obtained from 2398 adolescents who participated in the Child and Adolescent Behaviors in Long-Term Evolution project. Chronotype was calculated as the midpoint of sleep on free days adjusted for sleep debt. Group-based trajectory modeling and multiple linear regression were employed to establish social loneliness trajectories and determine their associations with chronotype. Social loneliness trajectories were significantly associated with chronotype and varied by sex. Specifically, boys following a high-decreasing trajectory had earlier chronotype during late adolescence than did those following a low-decreasing trajectory (B =  - 0.07; p < 0.05). By contrast, girls following a low-to-moderate-increasing trajectory exhibited later chronotype than did those following a low-stable trajectory (B = 0.07; p < 0.01). Social loneliness trajectories, especially those displaying significant fluctuations over time, are critical indicators influencing chronotype among adolescents. Furthermore, these trajectories and their associations with chronotype display sex differences. These findings highlight the need for early interventions for psychological factors such as social loneliness to ensure that the late chronotype can be prevented. In addition, sex variations must be considered.

Adolescent loneliness across the world and its relation to school climate, national culture and academic performance

BACKGROUND

Loneliness during adolescence has adverse consequences for mental health, education and employment outcomes. Yet, we know little about common correlates of loneliness among adolescents, making intervention work difficult.

AIMS

In this study, we (1) explore individual-, school- and country-level correlates of loneliness to help identify potential intervention targets, and (2) examine the influence of loneliness on academic performance.

SAMPLE

A total of 518,210 students aged 15 years from 75 countries provided self-reported loneliness data.

RESULTS

Using multilevel modelling, we found individual-, school- and country-level correlates of self-reported school-based loneliness, and showed that loneliness negatively influenced academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the findings, interventions that focus on enhancing social and emotional skills, increasing trust between teachers and students and changing school climate to be more inclusive are likely to be the most effective for adolescents; they should also be culturally sensitive.

Loneliness Trajectories, Associated Factors and Subsequent Health in Children and Young People During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Matched Cohort Study

Purpose

Loneliness is common amongst children and young people (CYP) and is an independent risk factor for poor health. This study aimed to i) determine whether subgroups of CYP with different loneliness trajectories (during the second year of the pandemic) exist; ii) examine associations with socio-demographic characteristics and subsequent health; and iii) understand whether associations between loneliness and subsequent health were modified by SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

A total of 5851 CYP (N=3260 SARS-CoV-2 positive and 2591 SARS-CoV-2 negative) provided data on loneliness (via the validated 3-item version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale for Children) at least twice in a 12-month period post PCR index-testing (conducted October 2020-March 2021). Latent class growth analyses were used to identify distinct classes of loneliness trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify socio-demographic characteristics associated with class membership. Logistic regression models assessed the odds of reporting impairing symptoms 12-months post index-test.

Results

Four distinct loneliness trajectories were identified: three mostly stable (low, medium, high) and one low-increasing trajectory. Being older, female, living in more deprived areas and testing negative were associated with greater odds of being in the highest vs lowest loneliness trajectory; eg OR for female vs male: 5.6 (95% CI:4.1,7.8); OR for 15-17 vs 11-14 years: 4.5 (95% CI:3.4,6.0). Following higher loneliness trajectories was associated with higher odds of experiencing impairing symptoms 12-months post index-test: ORadjusted (compared to lowest loneliness trajectory) were 15.9 (95% CI:11.9,21.3) (high loneliness), 6.5 (5.3,7.9) (medium loneliness) and 2.3 (1.9,2.8) (low-increasing loneliness). There was no evidence that this association was modified by PCR index-test result.

Conclusion

About 5.3% of CYP were classified into a group experiencing (chronically) high loneliness. Being female, older and from more deprived areas were risk factors of belonging to this group. Results suggest that even small increases from low loneliness levels may be associated with worse health outcomes.

Social relationship provisions and loneliness in school: Child- and classroom-level effects

Building on social needs theory (Weiss, 1974), this study introduces the construct of classroom provision richness and examines the association between the exchange of social provisions among children in classrooms and children's feelings of loneliness in school. We examined the receipt of provisions from reciprocally nominated friends versus unilateral (one-sided) and non-friend classmates and examined associations between social provisions and loneliness at the child and classroom levels. Participants were 998 third- through fifth-grade children (468 girls, 530 boys; 88.5% White) in 38 classrooms who indicated which classmates they played with, helped, validated, and provided opportunities for self-disclosure. In addition to the social provisions nomination measure, children responded to (a) a measure of loneliness that avoided content overlapping with social provisions, (b) a rating-scale sociometric measure of peer acceptance, and (c) a measure that asked them to indicate which classmates engaged in prosocial, aggressive, or withdrawn-type behaviors. Multilevel analyses indicated that social provisions received from reciprocal friends and from unilateral-received friends were associated with children's feelings of loneliness in school. Furthermore, a measure of the provision richness of classrooms moderated the association between child-level provisions received and feelings of loneliness, such that children who received fewer provisions were less lonely in classrooms that were more provision-rich. Classroom provision richness was also associated with the general level of prosocial behavior and peer acceptance in the classroom. Together, findings suggest that efforts to foster the exchange of social provisions in classrooms could reduce loneliness and facilitate a more caring classroom environment.

Preventing Loneliness and Reducing Dropout: Results from the COMPLETE Intervention Study in Upper Secondary Schools in Norway

This study examines the impact of interventions aimed at improving psychosocial health on students' perception of a caring school climate, their feelings of loneliness, and school completion in Norwegian upper secondary education. Two intervention conditions were tested: a universal single-tier intervention focused on improving the psychosocial school climate: the Dream School Program, and a multi-tier intervention combining the Dream School Program with a targeted measure, the Mental Health Support Team. The direct and indirect effects of these interventions on school completion were analyzed using structural equation models (SEM), with data from 1508 students (mean age at Time 1: 17.02 (SD = 0.92); 60.7% girls; 72.1% Norwegian-born). The results indicated that loneliness levels did not differ significantly between the intervention conditions. However, students in the multi-tier intervention group reported a significantly higher perception of a caring school climate compared to those in the single-tier intervention group. The multi-tier intervention group had a lower rate of school completion compared to the control group and the single-tier intervention group. The SEM analysis revealed that the multi-tier intervention reduced loneliness in the second year of upper secondary school by promoting a caring school climate in the first school year. In contrast, the single-tier intervention was associated with increased loneliness due to a decrease in the perception of a caring school climate. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Loneliness During the School Years: How It Affects Learning and How Schools Can Help. THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH 2023;93:428-435. [PMID: 36861756 DOI: 10.1111/josh.13306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

BACKGROUND

Substantial evidence links loneliness to poor academic outcomes and poor employment prospects. Schools have been shown to be places that mitigate or aggravate loneliness, suggesting a need to consider how schools can better support youth experiencing loneliness.

METHODS

We conducted a narrative review on loneliness in childhood and adolescence to examine the literature on how loneliness changes over the school years and how it influences learning. We also examined whether there were increases in loneliness because of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated school closures, and whether schools can be places for loneliness interventions/prevention.

FINDINGS

Studies describe how loneliness becomes more prevalent during the adolescent years and why that is the case. Loneliness is associated with poor academic outcomes and poor health behaviors that impact learning or turn students away from education. Research shows that loneliness increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence suggests that creating positive social classroom environments, where teacher and classmate support are available, is crucial in combatting youth loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS

Adaptations to the school climate can be made to meet the needs of all students, reducing loneliness. Investigation of the impacts of school-based loneliness prevention/intervention is crucial.

The developmental course of loneliness in adolescence: Implications for mental health, educational attainment, and psychosocial functioning

The present study examined patterns of stability and change in loneliness across adolescence. Data were drawn from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a UK population-representative cohort of 2,232 individuals born in 1994 and 1995. Loneliness was assessed when participants were aged 12 and 18. Loneliness showed modest stability across these ages (r = .25). Behavioral genetic modeling indicated that stability in loneliness was explained largely by genetic influences (66%), while change was explained by nonshared environmental effects (58%). Individuals who reported loneliness at both ages were broadly similar to individuals who only reported it at age 18, with both groups at elevated risk of mental health problems, physical health risk behaviors, and education and employment difficulties. Individuals who were lonely only at age 12 generally fared better; however, they were still more likely to finish school with lower qualifications. Positive family influences in childhood predicted reduced risk of loneliness at age 12, while negative peer experiences increased the risk. Together, the findings show that while early adolescent loneliness does not appear to exert a cumulative burden when it persists, it is nonetheless a risk for a range of concomitant impairments, some of which can endure.

The 100 Top-Cited Studies on Loneliness: A Bibliometric Analysis

The present study explores characteristics of the top 100 most-cited articles on loneliness. A systematic search was carried out using the Thomson Reuters Web of Science Core Collection to collect studies on loneliness from inception to June 1, 2022. The initial search resulted in 6,250 search results, which included articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, editorials, and letters. Two authors independently screened the literature and extracted the data. The study supervisor removed any discrepancies. Top 100 papers (articles and reviews) on loneliness published in English were extracted. Data analysis and visualization were performed on Excel, Web of Science (WoS) Data Analyzer, and VOSviewer 1.6.16. The total number of citations of the 100 top-cited articles was 42,044, ranging from 203 to 2,201 per article. All of the studies were published from 1989 to 2021, and the years with the highest number of top-cited articles published were 2003 and 2008. Most publications were from the following journals: Computers in Human Behavior, Developmental Psychology, Psychological Science, Psychology, and Aging (n=4 each). The most cited article was titled "UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3): Reliability, validity, and factor structure" by Russell, DW, in the Journal of Personality Assessment. The most productive institute was the University of Chicago. The two most productive authors were Cacioppo, JT, and Hawkley, LC. Of the 100 top-cited publications, 87 were original articles and 13 were reviews. The top three WoS categories were psychology multidisciplinary, gerontology, and psychiatry. In total, 37 author keywords were elicited and further clubbed into eight distinct clusters. The study provides new insight into loneliness research, which may help doctors, researchers, and stakeholders achieve a more comprehensive understanding of trends and influential contributions to the field and highlight under-researched areas, which could be the basis for future investigation.

Childhood Social Isolation as a Predictor of Retinal Neuronal Thickness in Middle Age: A Lifecourse Birth Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

We investigated whether childhood social isolation was associated with retinal neural layer changes in adulthood, and whether this association was independent of other childhood or adulthood risk factors, including adult social isolation.

METHODS

Participants were members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a longitudinal population-based birth cohort from Aotearoa New Zealand ( n = 1037), born 1972 to 1973 and followed until age 45 years, with 94% of the living cohort still participating. Social isolation was recorded prospectively at ages 5, 7, 9, and 11 years, from teacher and parent report. Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thicknesses were measured via optical coherence tomography at age 45 years.

RESULTS

Childhood social isolation was associated with thinner average RNFL ( B = -0.739, p = .02), nasal RNFL ( B = -1.118, p = .005), and inferior RNFL ( B = -1.524, p = .007), although only nasal RNFL remained significant after adjustment. These associations were not fully explained by other psychosocial or physical health risk factors in childhood or adulthood, nor were they mediated by adult loneliness or social support.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood social isolation was an independent predictor of RNFL thickness in middle age. Highlighting prospective links between childhood psychosocial adversity and retinal neuronal measures will help to inform future research into the utility of retinal neuronal thickness as a biomarker for neurodegeneration.

Psychosocial determinants of sleep difficulties in adolescence: the role of perceived support from family, peers, and school in an Italian HBSC sample

The present study explores the concurrent contribution to sleep problems of individual-related, family-related, and school-related factors in adolescence. Gathering from the Italian 2018 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) data collection, we used hierarchical logistic regression on a sample of 3397 adolescents (51% females, Mage = 13.99, SD = 1.62) to explore the contribution to sleep problems of the individual (Model 1: alcohol use, smoking, screen time, physical activity), familial (Model 2: parental communication, parental support), and school-related (Model 3: peer support, schoolmates/students support, teacher support and school pressure) variables. 28.3 percent of adolescents reported having sleep difficulties. Overall, Model 3 significantly improved over Model 2 and Model 1. Data showed that increasing smoking (OR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03-1.20) and screen time (OR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02-1.08) were associated with sleep difficulties but not alcohol use and physical activity. Also, impaired communication with both parents and increasing parental support (OR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.78-0.90) were associated with decreased odds of sleep problems. Finally, both increases in school pressure (OR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.26-1.56) and lack of student support (OR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.10-1.42) were associated with a higher likelihood of sleep problems, while peer support and teacher support were not.   Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of an integrated approach to the study of sleep difficulties in adolescence that includes specific psychosocial contributors such as the quality of parental communication and perceived parental support and considers the quality of the day-to-day relationship with schoolmates and the school level of demands. What is Known: • Adolescents' are at-risk of more significant sleep difficulties, and recent literature highlights the importance of an integrated approach to understanding this phenomenon, including biological, psychosocial, and contextual factors. • The literature lacks findings that consider the concurrent contribution of individual and psychosocial factors to sleep difficulties in adolescence. What is New: • The quality of parental communication and perceived parental support, as expressions of adult figures' emotional and behavioural availability in the adolescent's life, are significant determinants of sleep difficulties. • The quality of day-to-day relationships with schoolmates and the school level of demands contribute to adolescent sleep problems.

Relative Importance of Incivility and Loneliness in Occupational Health Outcomes

Researchers have studied loneliness as a modern health epidemic which is associated with myriad negative health effects, yet the literature lacks evidence of loneliness' correlates, including incivility, in the workplace. This paper not only replicates previous work on incivility, a pervasive interpersonal workplace stressor, it also contributes novel findings on the relative importance of loneliness in explaining variance in occupational health outcomes. We tested hypotheses using two cross-sectional datasets containing data from the general working population (Sample 1) and state corrections supervisors (Sample 2). Through relative importance analyses, including relative weights analysis, we found that both general and workplace loneliness explain substantial variance in several outcomes (e.g., emotional exhaustion, depression symptoms, and turnover intentions) relative to the variance explained by workplace incivility. When controlling for perceived work stress, general loneliness appears to be more important than incivility in explaining variance in emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and depression symptoms.

Association between age and loneliness in different residential type and gender groups: evidence from China

BACKGROUND

Age has been identified as a prominent predictor of loneliness, although the findings about the relationship between age and loneliness are inconclusive. This study examines the relationship between age and loneliness in the context of China, with a focus on residential and gender differences.

METHODS

Data were from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) of 2017. A total of 3899 respondents were included. Loneliness was measured using a three-item Short Loneliness Scale. Age, squared terms of age, residential type, gender, and other socio-demographic characteristics were included in the study. Regression analyses were conducted among the total sample and subgroups of different gender and residential type subgroups, to investigate the association between age and loneliness.

RESULTS

There is a reverse U-shaped tendency between age and loneliness that peaks at the age of 47. This tendency is true of the male subgroup, that peaks at the age of 55, while the female respondents do not share that tendency. The inverted U-shaped distribution holds true for urban but not for rural residents. The female respondents reported a higher level of loneliness than the male. The rural respondents reported higher loneliness than their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that an inverted U-shaped tendency between age and loneliness existed for the entire group, and the male and urban subgroups. Implications for service and practice are proposed based on the empirical findings.

The relation between college students' neuroticism and loneliness: The chain mediating roles of self-efficacy, social avoidance and distress

Background

Recently, identifying the psychological mechanism of college students' loneliness has attracted wide attention because the maladjustment caused by college students' loneliness is increasingly common. This study explored the relationship and potential mechanism between college students' neuroticism and loneliness in a large sample.

Methods

A total of 4,600 college students completed the Big Five Personality Scale, Loneliness Scale, Self-efficacy Scale and Social Avoidance and Distress Scale.

Results

By examining the chain mediating roles of self-efficacy, social avoidance and distress (SAD) in the relation between neuroticism and loneliness, the present study found that college students' neuroticism was positively associated with loneliness via self-efficacy and SAD, respectively, and sequentially.

Conclusions

The results suggest a significant positive association between neuroticism and loneliness, which is influenced by the mediating effects of both self-efficacy and social avoidance and distress (SAD), as well as the chained mediating effects of self-efficacy and SAD.

Predictors of chronic loneliness during adolescence: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Adolescent loneliness is a growing public health issue owing to its adverse health impact. Although adolescent loneliness is common, its trajectories can show distinct patterns over time. However, there is limited knowledge regarding their determinants, particularly for chronic loneliness. We aimed to determine the predictors of loneliness trajectories across early-to-mid adolescence and examine their association with later suicidality.

METHODS

Data were collected from 3165 participants from the population-based Tokyo Teen Cohort. Participants reported their loneliness at 10, 12, 14, and 16 years. Loneliness trajectories were identified using latent class growth analysis. We examined the predictive role of bullying victimization and parental psychological distress at age 10 via a multinomial logistic regression. Sociodemographic and child-related factors (i.e., chronic health conditions and cognitive delay) were included as covariates. The association between the trajectories, self-harm, and suicidal ideation by age 16 was investigated using Poisson regression.

RESULTS

Four trajectories were identified: "consistently low" (2448, 77.3%), "moderate-decreasing" (185, 5.8%), "moderate-increasing" (508, 16.1%), and "consistently high" (24, 0.8%). Taking "consistently low" as a reference, experiences of bullying victimization predicted all the remaining trajectories [adjusted relative risk ratio 1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-2.28 for "moderate-decreasing," 1.88, 1.52-2.33 for "moderate-increasing," and 4.57, 1.97-10.59 for "consistently high"]. Parental psychological distress predicted the "moderate-increasing" (1.84, 1.25-2.71) and "consistently high" (5.07, 1.78-14.42) trajectories. The "consistently high" trajectory showed the greatest risk for self-harm and suicidal ideation (adjusted relative risk ratio 6.01, 95% CI 4.40-8.22; 2.48, 1.82-3.37, respectively); however, the "moderate-increasing" and "moderate-decreasing" trajectories were also at increased risk (moderate-increasing: 2.71, 2.23-3.30 for self-harm, 1.93, 1.69-2.19 for suicidal ideation; moderate-decreasing: 2.49, 1.91-3.26 for self-harm, 1.59, 1.33-1.91 for suicidal ideation).

CONCLUSIONS

Bullying victimization and parental psychological distress at age 10 were independent determinants of increased and chronic loneliness trajectories across early-to-mid adolescence. Compared with "consistently low," all other loneliness trajectories were associated with an increased risk of adolescent suicidality. Interventions targeting adolescent loneliness should include approaches to mitigate bullying and parental psychological distress. These strategies may help prevent adolescent suicidality.

Does loneliness before the age of twelve indirectly affect impaired control over drinking, alcohol use, and problems through perceived stress?

Loneliness is the pain of feeling socially isolated from others (Russell et al., 1980). The Stress-Dampening Hypothesis (Marlatt, 1987; Sayette, 1993; Sher, 1987) posits that individuals drink to alleviate negative affect. To date, it has not been determined whether loneliness experienced as a child can indirectly influence at-risk patterns of alcohol use through the mediating mechanism of stress and impaired control. Impaired control over alcohol use (IC) is the difficulty adhering to one's own self-proscribed limits on drinking behaviors (Heather et al., 1993). Impaired control is an at-risk pattern of use that is particularly relevant to emerging adults. Methods: We examined the direct and indirect relationships between childhood loneliness, stress, IC, and alcohol-related problems with a structural equation model. In a college student sample, we utilized a (k = 20,000) bootstrap technique and a model indirect command in Mplus to examine potential mediational pathways. Cisgender sex was included as a covariate. Results: Loneliness was directly linked to stress as well as to alcohol-related problems. Higher levels of loneliness were indirectly linked to both more alcohol use and alcohol-related problems through more stress and in turn, more impaired control over drinking. Conclusions: The current study is consistent with the Stress Dampening Hypothesis (Marlatt, 1987; Sayette, 1993; Sher, 1987). Our findings suggest that therapeutic interventions combating loneliness in childhood may disrupt the stress-dampening pathway to dysregulated alcohol use in emerging adulthood.

Adolescent Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Pre-Pandemic Risk Factors

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global mental health crisis that disproportionately impacts adolescents. Loneliness is a particularly salient pandemic psychosocial outcome to understand; however, research to date on this outcome is sparse and largely cross-sectional. In response, we examined pre-pandemic risk factors for pandemic loneliness. Further, we examined how risk may differ based on key demographics, and whether mediation or moderation models best explained potential disparities in experiencing loneliness. Self-reported, pre-pandemic mental health, trauma exposure, and family conflict survey data were collected at Wave 1 in a diverse sample of 369 adolescents (54.5% female, 45.5% male; 30.1% White; 30.9% Black; 18.4% Hispanic; M_age = 15.04; SD _age  = 1.10). Subsequently, self-reported experiences of loneliness during the pandemic were collected 6 months (April-June 2020) and 12 months (October-December 2020) later. Using a regression-based framework (i.e., PROCESS), we tested (a) which pre-pandemic risks uniquely predicted prospective loneliness and (b) whether loneliness risk was elevated for certain identities (i.e., mediation models) or whether certain identities were more sensitive to specific risks (i.e., moderation models). Overall, pre-pandemic depressive and aggression symptoms predicted early pandemic loneliness (6-month follow-up), whereas anxiety symptoms specifically predicted mid-pandemic loneliness (12-month follow-up). Environmental stressors were moderated by gender, such that females with pre-pandemic trauma exposure were more likely to report pandemic loneliness. Further, pre-pandemic internalizing distress for girls and externalizing symptoms for boys, reflected gender-specific pathways for loneliness. Implications for mental health prevention in the wake of national disasters are discussed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12187-022-09984-8.

Relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic internet use among young adults: The role of the feeling of loneliness trajectory

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS

Given problematic Internet usage's (PIU) negative impact on individual health, this study evaluates how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affect young adults' PIU and the possible underlying mechanism of the "feeling of loneliness" (FOL) trajectory.

METHODS

Analyzing a retrospective cohort sample from the Taiwan Youth Project, 2,393 adolescents were interviewed from the average ages of 14-28. We constructed ACE in 2000 using six categories (e.g., abuse and low family socioeconomic status) and 5-item PIU in 2017 from Chen's Internet Addiction Scale. FOL trajectories measured eight times, at average ages 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 25, 28 years-old.

RESULTS

Overall, 12.65% of the participants did not have ACEs, and 12.78% exhibited PIU. FOL trajectory analyses yielded three groups: "constant low" (reference group: 53.25%); "moderate decline" (36.81%); and "increasing" (9.94%). Regression models showed a dose-response association between ACE and young adults' PIU (adjusted odds ratio = 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-1.23) and the two risky loneliness groups (moderate decline: relative risk ratio [RRR] = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.32-1.54; increasing: RRR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.37-1.71). Structural equation modeling further found that ACEs increase young adults' risk of being in the increasing group, and consequently, the risk of PIU.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that ACE may be associated with 1) adults' PIU, 2) FOL from adolescence to emerging adulthood, and 3) young adults' PIU through its association with FOL trajectories.

Loneliness, subjective health complaints, and medicine use among Finnish adolescents 2006-2018

AIMS

Loneliness is an important public health challenge for all ages. This study reports time trends of loneliness among adolescents over a 12-year period and analyses the strength of the associations between loneliness, health complaints, and medicine use.

METHODS

Data were derived from the cross-sectional Finnish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study conducted in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018. The study population is based on a random sample of schools with 20,444 participants aged 11-15 years. The trends were analysed with a Mantel-Haenszel test, and the strength of the associations was evaluated by mixed-effects logistic and linear regressions.

RESULTS

An increasing prevalence in frequent loneliness (2006: 11%; 2018: 15%) was evident over the 12-year study period, especially in girls and 15-year-olds. Among all adolescents, loneliness was associated with a higher risk of recurrent health complaints and medicine use to treat the corresponding health issues, especially nervousness (odds ratio 5.8) and sleeping difficulties (odds ratio 7.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescence is a period of higher risk of frequent loneliness and associated health complaints. In this study, loneliness was common among adolescence and an increasing trend of loneliness was observed between 2006 and 2018. Also, psychosomatic health complaints and medicine use were strongly associated with loneliness. Persistent loneliness is a significant health risk and failure to resolve loneliness before entering adulthood may imply significant concerns for future well-being.

Interpersonal predictors of loneliness in Japanese children: variable- and person-centered approaches

BACKGROUND

Loneliness in children has been a major topic of interest in both clinical and developmental psychology. Further studies to investigate predictors of loneliness are needed for educational practices.

METHODS

A total of 1088 late elementary school-aged children (48.81% boys, M_age = 10.35) participated in a 1-year longitudinal survey. We used hierarchical linear modeling and mover-stayer latent transition analysis.

DISCUSSION

Findings from the variable- and person- centered approaches suggested that less positive peer relations, higher victimization, and higher relational aggression are predictors of higher future loneliness. Meanwhile, both approaches did not reach an agreement concerning predictors to reduce loneliness. This result highlighted a utility of a combined approach and sounded an alarm for overreliance on the variable-centered approach dominating child research.

CONCLUSION

To protect young children from loneliness, it will be more beneficial to prevent the development of loneliness rather than to apply interventions to reduce loneliness once established. Preventive practices need to be implemented to protect children from loneliness.

Age, Period, and Cohort Effects of Internalizing Symptoms Among US Students and the Influence of Self-Reported Frequency of Attaining 7 or More Hours of Sleep: Results From the Monitoring the Future Survey 1991-2019

Adolescent internalizing symptoms have increased since 2010, whereas adequate sleep has declined for several decades. It remains unclear how self-reported sleep attainment has affected internalizing-symptoms trends. Using 1991-2019 data from the Monitoring the Future Study (n ~ 390,000), we estimated age-period-cohort effects in adolescent internalizing symptoms (e.g., loneliness, self-esteem, self-derogation, depressive affect) and the association with yearly prevalence of a survey-assessed, self-reported measure of attaining ≥7 hours of sleep most nights. We focused our main analysis on loneliness and used median odds ratios to measure variance in loneliness associated with period differences. We observed limited signals for cohort effects and modeled only period effects. The feeling of loneliness increased by 0.83% per year; adolescents in 2019 had 0.68 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.87) increased log odds of loneliness compared with the mean, which was consistent by race/ethnicity and parental education. Girls experienced steeper increases in loneliness than boys (P < 0.0001). The period-effect median odds ratio for loneliness was 1.16 (variance = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.17) before adjustment for self-reported frequency of getting ≥7 hours sleep versus 1.07 (variance = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.03) after adjustment. Adolescents across cohorts are experiencing worsening internalizing symptoms. Self-reported frequency of <7 hours sleep partially explains increases in loneliness, indicating the need for feasibility trials to study the effect of increasing sleep attainment on internalizing symptoms.

Individual Differences in Cerebral Perfusion as a Function of Age and Loneliness

Loneliness is defined as the subjective feeling that one's social needs are not satisfied by both quantity and quality of one's social relationships. Loneliness has been linked to a broad range of adverse physical and mental health consequences. There is an interest in identifying the neural and molecular processes by which loneliness adversely affects health. Prior imaging studies reported divergent networks involved in cognitive, emotional, and social processes associated with loneliness. Although loneliness is common among both younger and older adults, it is experienced differently across the lifespan and has different antecedents and consequences. The current study measured regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) using pulsed arterial spin labeling imaging. Forty-five older (M_age = 63.4) and forty-four younger adults (M_age = 20.9) with comparable degrees of loneliness were included. Whole-brain voxel-wise analysis revealed a main effect of age (in superior temporal and supramarginal gyri), but no main effect of loneliness. Furthermore, the age effect was only observed among people who reported higher level of loneliness. These regions have previously been implicated in social- and attention-related functions. The moderation of loneliness on age and regional CBF suggests that younger and older individuals present differential neural manifestations in response to loneliness, even with comparable levels of loneliness.

The Effect of Loneliness in Psychological and Behavioral Profile among High School Students in Spain

Loneliness is a distressing feeling that can be a barrier to a student’s development and affect their mental health. This research aimed to analyse the effects of loneliness on psychological and behavioral factors among students aged 12–19 years in Spain. Loneliness, experiential avoidance, psychological inflexibility, physical activity, mobile phone use, and smoke habits were analysed in a sample of 110 men and 122 women assigned into two groups depending on their loneliness levels: higher loneliness group (HLG) and lower loneliness group (LLG). Results showed that experimental avoidance and psychological inflexibility were related with loneliness (r = 0.471; p = 0.000). Experiential avoidance and psychological inflexibility were higher in HLG than LLG. Regarding the use of mobile phones and smoking habits, LLG presented significantly higher values than HLG. Higher age correlated with lower loneliness values (r = −0.155; p = 0.017). The present research found how students with higher loneliness presented higher experiential avoidance and psychological inflexibility and lower age, use of mobile phone, and smoking habits. These findings reveal the importance of considering multiple social behaviours when examining adolescent mental health factors.

Feelings of Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction in Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Birth Order and Perceived Social Support

Loneliness has been associated with several adverse psychosocial outcomes in childhood and adolescence. The present study aimed to investigate feelings of loneliness and social dissatisfaction in school-aged typically-developing (TD) siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For this purpose, 118 siblings of children with ASD and 115 siblings of TD children and one of their parents participated in this study. Siblings of ASD-children reported higher levels of loneliness and social dissatisfaction than the controls. The hierarchical multiple regressions performed revealed that those feelings were inversely associated with being the first-born and with specific aspects of social support as perceived by the parent. The younger siblings of ASD-children seem to be in need of certain interventions beyond social support.

Lonely, but Not Alone: Qualitative Study among Immigrant and Native-Born Adolescents

This paper explores loneliness as it is understood and experienced by adolescents, with a special focus on the importance of their migration status. We recruited students from five schools following a maximum variation sampling scheme, and we conducted 15 semi-structured, individual interviews with eighth-grade adolescents (aged 14-15 years) that were immigrants, descendants, and with a Danish majority background. A thematic analysis was applied with a special focus on differences and similarities in understanding and experiencing loneliness between adolescents with diverse migration status. The results showed more similarities than differences in loneliness. Generally, loneliness was described as an adverse feeling, varying in intensity and duration, and participants referenced distressing emotions. Feeling lonely was distinguished from being alone and characterized as an invisible social stigma. A variety of perceived social deficiencies were emphasized as causing loneliness, emerging in the interrelation between characteristics of the individual and their social context. The results add to the current literature by highlighting that it is not the presence of specific individual characteristics that causes loneliness; instead, loneliness is dependent on the social contexts the individual is embedded in. Differences across migration status were few and related to variations in the adolescents' individual characteristics. The findings highlight the importance of (1) studying the characteristics of both the individual and the social context in research on the antecedents to adolescents' loneliness, and (2) applying this perspective in other studies on the importance of migration status.

Sleep in times of crises: A scoping review in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis

During the early days of the pandemic and in the context of a seemingly unknown global threat, several potential major sleep disruptors were identified by sleep researchers and practitioners across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic combined several features that, individually, had been shown to negatively affect sleep health in the general population. Those features included state of crisis, restrictions on in-person social interactions, as well as financial adversity. To address the lack of a comprehensive summary of sleep research across these three distinctive domains, we undertook three parallel systematic reviews based on the following themes: 1) Sleep in times of crises; 2) Sleep and social isolation; and 3) Sleep and economic uncertainty. Using a scoping review framework, we systematically identified and summarized findings from these three separated bodies of works. Potential moderating factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, psychological predisposition, occupation and other personal circumstances are also discussed. To conclude, we propose novel lines of research necessary to alleviate the short- and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 crises and highlight the need to prepare the deployment of sleep solutions in future crises.

The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries

Positive mental health is central to adolescent well-being. The present study examines the prevalence of loneliness and positive mental health indicators (mental well-being and self-esteem) in four Nordic countries and associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and high self-esteem. This study is based on data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study which was conducted in 2018 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden. Participants were 5883 15-year-old boys and girls. To examine the associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and self-esteem, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied. In the comparison of Nordic countries, the prevalence of loneliness was highest among Finnish and Icelandic adolescents. High mental well-being and high self-esteem were most prevalent in Denmark and Sweden. In general, boys scored higher on positive mental health indicators and girls on loneliness. Loneliness was also a strong indicator of low mental well-being and low self-esteem in all Nordic countries. Loneliness is not only associated with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, but it is also a risk factor for adolescents' positive mental health. Positive mental health is important for healthy maturation and there is a need to develop initiatives to reduce adolescent loneliness and so support positive development.

Resilience and the Role of Depressed and Anxious Mood in the Relationship Between Perceived Social Isolation and Perceived Sleep Quality During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to examine the mediating role of depressed and anxious mood in the relationship between perceived social isolation and perceived sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also aimed to investigate the moderating role of psychological resilience in this mediation.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of adults (18+ years old) was conducted using an online, multi-language, international survey between March 31 and May 15, 2020. Simple and moderated mediation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS, with perceived social isolation as an independent variable, change in perceived sleep quality (during vs. before the COVID-19 pandemic) as a dependent variable, depressed and anxious mood (Patient Health Questionnaire-4, PHQ-4) as a mediator, and resilience (Brief Resilience Scale, BRS) as a moderator.

RESULTS

A convenience sample of 3816 participants (2692 = female) from 94 countries (47.4% USA) met criteria for inclusion in the analyses. Results showed that depressed and anxious mood mediated the relationship between perceived social isolation and change in perceived sleep quality. This mediation was moderated by resilience; the indirect effect of perceived social isolation on change in perceived sleep quality through depressed and anxious mood decreased as the level of resilience increased (index of moderated mediation = 0.008, SE = 0.003, 95%CI [0.001; 0.014]).

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings indicate benefits of psychological resilience in buffering negative effects of perceived isolation, suggesting potential benefits of developing targeted strategies to enhance resilience during times of significant crises.

"Surviving the Violence, Humiliation, and Loneliness Means Getting High": Violence, Loneliness, and Health of Female Sex Workers

Sex workers are particularly vulnerable to violence, isolation, and stigmatization. This study uses the theory of loneliness to explore the relations among violence, self-esteem, loneliness, health, and drug use. Specifically, this study tested a model in which loneliness mediates the relationship between situational (violence) and characterological (self-esteem) loneliness factors and physical and psychological health and drug abuse. The study sample consisted of 146 sex workers from one region of Spain, recruited through the purposive sampling method. Partial least squares (PLS) path modeling has been employed to test the hypothesis. The findings of this study suggest that two kinds of violence (physical and psychological) have a direct and positive influence on loneliness, so that higher levels of violence increase loneliness, while self-esteem has a protector role on loneliness. Loneliness has a direct and negative impact on psychological and physical health, and determines an increase in drug use, which, in turn, decreases both physical and psychological health. The results support, among other points, that policy makers and sex worker service programs need to be aware of how loneliness plays a role in the health and risk behavior of sex workers. Society has an important role to improve sex workers' health and minimize their risk behavior.

Early life stress and neural development: Implications for understanding the developmental effects of COVID-19

Chronic and/or extreme stress in childhood, often referred to as early life stress, is associated with a wide range of long-term effects on development. Given this, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to concern about how stress due to the pandemic will affect children's development and mental health. Although early life stress has been linked to altered functioning of a number of neural and biological systems, there is a wide range of variability in children's outcomes. The mechanisms that influence these individual differences are still not well understood. In the past, studies of stress in childhood focused on the type of events that children encountered in their lives. We conducted a review of the literature to formulate a new perspective on the effects of early life stress on development. This new, topological model, may increase understanding of the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's development. This model is oriented on children's perceptions of their environment and their social relationships, rather than specific events. These factors influence central and peripheral nervous system development, changing how children interpret, adapt, and respond to potentially stressful events, with implications for children's mental and physical health outcomes.

Review: Alleviating loneliness in young people - a meta-analysis of interventions

BACKGROUND

Loneliness is common among youth and is associated with poor physical and mental health, and poor educational outcomes. To date, there have been no meta-analyses of interventions aimed at reducing loneliness among young people.

METHODS

We conducted meta-analyses of single group and randomised control trials (RCTs) of studies published between 1980 and 2019, which measured loneliness as an outcome in youth ages 25 years or younger. Moderators, including sample demographics and intervention characteristics, that might affect intervention success, were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 39 studies (14 single group and 25 RCTs) were included, and we found evidence that youth loneliness could be reduced via intervention. Moderator analysis - including intervention characteristics, study quality and sample demographics - was also examined.

CONCLUSIONS

While interventions were shown to reduce loneliness among youth, the interventions included in the meta-analyses often targeted youth viewed to be at risk - for example those with health concerns - and rarely did the interventions target youth who reported loneliness. There is also no indication of whether youth experienced chronic or transient loneliness. In future work, interventions should be designed specifically for loneliness, with universal programmes helping youth manage their transient feelings of loneliness, and targeted interventions for those suffering from chronic loneliness. There is also a need to look at socioeconomic and other risk factors outside the individual for targeted interventions.

KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE

There have been no meta-analyses that have evaluated the effect of interventions for reducing loneliness among children and adolescents. We found intervention programmes targeted at youth are successful at reducing loneliness. Future interventions should be designed specially with loneliness in mind, with (a) universal programmes to help youth manage their experiences of transient loneliness, and (b) targeted interventions for youth reporting chronic loneliness. They should also examine the longer-term outcomes of the interventions. Future interventions should be designed, evaluated and then documented using guidelines on how to write up an intervention evaluation.

Teacher support and the social classroom environment as predictors of student loneliness

This study examined the relationships between students’ perceptions of teacher support, the social classroom environment, school loneliness, and possible gender differences among 2099 first year upper secondary school students in Norway. Data were collected in the fall (t1) and spring (t2) of the school year. Results from structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses showed that perceived emotional and instrumental teacher support were directly related to students’ perceptions of the social classroom environment, and indirectly to student loneliness through the social classroom environment. While for boys, both types of teacher support were significantly related to these variables, only emotional teacher support was of significance to girls. The strongest contributing factor to students’ school loneliness was their perceptions of the social classroom environment. Some implications of this study are that a positive social classroom environment is an important safeguard against student loneliness, and that teachers can aid in preventing loneliness among students through facilitating a positive social environment in the class.

Entanglements of loneliness and mental ill health among young adult women

PURPOSE

If a person experiences both loneliness and mental ill health, it may have severe effects on a person's wellbeing and functioning. This study explored the ways in which loneliness may be entangled with mental ill health and the factors that contribute to the development of such entanglements.

METHODS

The study participants were women from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 study, who, in 2001-2002, responded to the survey about being very lonely at the age of 15-16. Women (n = 17) were interviewed again at age 27-28 with semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed with thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Loneliness and mental ill health formed four types of entanglements: Entanglement 1 (E1): "Loneliness periodically evoked depressive feelings"; E2: "Loneliness and depressive feelings formed an ongoing spiral"; E3: "Loneliness and diagnosed depression/serious emotional disturbance formed periodic spirals;" and E4: "Serious emotional disturbance/mental illness and loneliness formed an ongoing, difficult spiral." Social adversities like unsafe family environment, lack of close friends, and school violence contributed to the development of Entanglements 1-3. In Entanglement 4, serious mental health disorder caused loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS

Loneliness was centrally linked to mental health issues in the present study and should be taken into consideration when providing mental health prevention and treatment.

Sustaining, Forming, and Letting Go of Friendships for Young People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): A Qualitative Interview-Based Study

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an incurable, chronic, gastrointestinal condition that can constrain young people's social relationships. Few studies have specifically explored friendships of people with IBD. This qualitative, participatory study used interviews, photographs, and friendship maps to explore friendships and friendship networks of young people with IBD. An online Young Person's Advisory Group was actively engaged throughout the study. Thirty-one young people participated (n = 16 males, n = 15 female; n = 24 Crohn's disease, n = 6 ulcerative colitis, n = 1 IBD-unclassified; the mean age at study was 18.7 years; range 14-25 years). Findings present a metatheme “The importance and meaning of friendships” and three interwoven subthemes of “Sustaining friendships,” “Forming new friendships,” and “Letting go of friendships.” Friendship was important to the young people with IBD, providing support, but associated with challenges such as disclosure. Such challenges could be mitigated by clearer conversations with clinicians about friendships and more extensive conversations about friendships and long-term conditions in education settings.

Trends in social inequality in loneliness among adolescents 1991-2014

BACKGROUND

Loneliness and social inequality in health are important public health concerns. We examined (i) trends in loneliness among adolescents from 1991 to 2014 in Denmark and (ii) trends in social inequality in loneliness.

METHODS

Study population: 11-15-year olds in random samples of schools in 1991, 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2014, n = 19 096. Loneliness was measured by a single item and social background by parents' occupational social class (OSC). We calculated absolute (%) differences in loneliness between high and low OSC and relative differences by odds ratio for loneliness.

RESULTS

Across all surveys, 6.3% reported feeling lonely. The prevalence increased from 4.4% in 1991 to 7.2% in 2014. The prevalence of loneliness in high, middle and low OSC was 5.8, 5.9 and 8.0%. The increase in loneliness was more pronounced in higher than lower OSC, resulting in a decreasing absolute social inequality in loneliness. The statistical interaction between OSC and survey year was significant, P = 0.0176, i.e. the relative social inequality in loneliness also decreased from 1991 to 2014.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of loneliness increased from 1991 to 2014. The social inequality in loneliness decreased in both absolute and relative terms because of a rising prevalence of loneliness among children from high OSC.

Social media use disorder and loneliness: any association between the two? Results of a cross-sectional study among Lebanese adults

BACKGROUND

In Lebanon, it is already established that mental disorders are prevalent among the population. Lebanese people are active users of social media platforms. To date, no study has previously explored the relationship between mental health and social media use disorder in Lebanon. The present study aims to learn more about the link between social media use disorder and loneliness among Lebanese people.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out between January and December 2018. It enrolled 456 residents of the community randomly selected from Lebanon's governorates in a proportionate rate.

RESULTS

The results showed that 107 (23.7%) participants were classified as having social media use disorder. The results of a stepwise linear regression, taking the loneliness score as the dependent variable, showed that female gender compared to males (Beta = 0.42), having a secondary level of education compared to illiteracy (Beta = 0.65), higher social media use disorder (Beta = 0.03) and higher insomnia (Beta = 0.02) and alexithymia (Beta = 0.02) were significantly associated with higher loneliness.

CONCLUSION

The present study was able to contribute to the literature and showed the association between social media use disorder and loneliness. These findings can benefit psychologists and public health practitioners in their future prevention and intervention plans.

The Stability and Change of Loneliness Across the Life Span: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies

Individuals experience loneliness when they perceive a deficiency in the quality or quantity of their social relationships. In the present meta-analysis, we compiled data from 75 longitudinal studies conducted in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America (N = 83, 679) to examine the rank-order and mean-level development of loneliness across the life span. Data were analyzed using two- and three-level meta-analyses and generalized additive mixed models. The results indicate that the rank order of loneliness is as stable as the rank order of personality traits and follows an inverted U-shaped trajectory across the life span. Regarding mean-level development, loneliness was found to decrease throughout childhood and to remain essentially stable from adolescence to oldest old age. Thus, in contrast to other personality characteristics, changes in loneliness are not generally related to age. Implications for theory are discussed.

A SNP, Gene, and Polygenic Risk Score Approach of Oxytocin-Vasopressin Genes in Adolescents' Loneliness

Not much is known regarding underlying biological pathways to adolescents' loneliness. Insight in underlying molecular mechanisms could inform intervention efforts aimed at reducing loneliness. Using latent growth curve modeling, baseline levels and development of loneliness were studied in two longitudinal adolescent samples. Genes (OXTR, OXT, AVPR1A, AVPR1B) were examined using SNP-based, gene-based, and polygenic risk score (PRS) approaches. In both samples, SNP- and gene-based tests showed involvement of the OXTR gene in development of loneliness, though, significance levels did not survive correction for multiple testing. The PRS approach provided no evidence for relations with loneliness. We recommend alternative phenotyping methods, including environmental factors, to consider epigenetic studies, and to examine possible endophenotypes in relation to adolescents' loneliness.