Coping with loneliness at University: A qualitative interview study with students in the UK

Psychological effects of reading: the role of nostalgia in re-reading favorite books

Nostalgia evoked through various experiences (e.g., scents, music) has been shown to enhance emotional well-being and reduce social pain. We propose that reading a familiar book similarly can elicit nostalgia, and provide emotional benefits through narrative transportation beyond that of reading a new book. We tested the relationship between reading new versus familiar books, nostalgia, narrative transportation, and indices of social connectedness. Participants were randomly assigned to re-read a favorite novel, read a new novel of interest, or read a set of newspaper articles. Re-reading elicited greater nostalgia and social connectedness than reading a new novel or newspaper. Narrative transportation and nostalgia fully mediated the effect of reading condition on social connectedness. We discuss implications for our understanding homeostatic nature of nostalgia and mental transportation.

A longitudinal study of loneliness in autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities: Coping with loneliness from childhood through adulthood

LAY ABSTRACT

We know that many autistic people feel lonely, but we don't know whether their loneliness changes over time. Our research study followed autistic people and people with other non-spectrum neurodevelopmental disabilities from childhood through young adulthood and asked them about their loneliness. While many people told us they felt lonely or very lonely, a sizable group also told us that they do not feel lonely. We found that people who reported feeling lonely earlier in life were likely to also report feeling lonely later in life. Overall, autistic people and people with other neurodevelopmental disabilities in our study became lonelier from adolescence to adulthood. People described multiple ways they cope with feeling lonely, such as distracting themselves or reaching out to connect with another person. People who used distraction tended to be lonelier than those who did not. Our findings tell us that there is a need for greater support of social connections for many autistic people as they become adults.

Getting Good Sleep with Family Support: The Role of Fear of Crime and Loneliness

Sleep problems in middle-aged and older people can threaten their physical and mental health. Family support is regarded as a key factor that affects sleep quality, but the influence mechanism remains underexplored. This study analyzes the mediating effects of fear of crime (FOC) and loneliness in the relationship between family support and sleep quality, and explores whether gender plays a moderating role between family support and FOC. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1043 Chinese middle-aged and older people aged 45-93 years. Using 10,000 bootstrapped samples, the study shows that middle-aged and older people who receive more family support have better sleep quality, and FOC and loneliness play mediating role in this association. Gender moderates the relationship between family support and FOC. Compared with men, family support for females has a greater impact on their FOC condition, and the mediating effect of family support on sleep quality through FOC is also greater among women. Family support can affect sleep quality through the chain mediating effect of FOC and loneliness for women. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the relationship between family support and sleep quality.

Loneliness From the Adolescent Perspective: A Qualitative Analysis of Conversations About Loneliness Between Adolescents and Childline Counselors

There is limited qualitative research on the experience of loneliness in adolescence, meaning key facets of the loneliness experience that are important in adolescence may have been overlooked. The current study addresses that gap in the literature and explores how loneliness is experienced in the context of adolescence from the perspective of adolescents. About 67 online counseling conversations between Childline counselors and adolescents (ages 12–18 years; 70% females) who had contacted Childline to talk about loneliness were analyzed using Thematic Framework Analysis to establish commonalities and salient issues involved in adolescent experiences of loneliness. Young people considered loneliness to be an intense experience that negatively impacted their daily lives. Experiences of loneliness revolved around difficulties with peer relationships, but turmoil at home worsened those experiences. Young people often employed short-term coping strategies that distracted them from loneliness. Issues with trusting others and self-worth acted as barriers to seeking long-term help. Recommendations include (1) the training of teachers and parents to recognize and support young people experiencing loneliness and (2) further research to establish the coping strategies that are used by adolescents who successfully overcome loneliness.

Student loneliness through the pandemic: How, why and where?

Loneliness has emerged as a problem for individuals and society. A group whose loneliness has recently grown in severity and visibility is students in higher education. Complementing media reports and surveys of students' lockdown loneliness, this paper presents qualitative research findings on students loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores the how, why and where of student loneliness through research co-produced with undergraduate and postgraduate students. Student-researchers investigated loneliness as a function of relationships and interactions through self-interviews and peer interviews (n = 46) and through objects, chosen by participants to represent their experiences of lockdown. This research led to three conclusions, each with a geographical focus. First, as the spaces in which students live and study were fragmented, interactions and relationships were disrupted. Second, students struggled to put down roots in their places of study. Without a sense of belonging-to the city and institution where they studied, and the neighbourhood and accommodation where they lived-they were more likely to experience loneliness. Third, many students were unable to progress through life transitions associated with late adolescence including leaving home, learning social skills, forming sexual relationships and emerging into adulthood. Those facing bigger changes such as bereavement struggled to process these events and spoke of feeling 'neither here nor there'-in limbo. But students displayed resilience, finding ways to cope with and mitigate their loneliness. Their coping strategies speak to the efforts of policymakers and practitioners-including those in universities, government, health and wellbeing services, and accommodation services-who are seeking ways to tackle students' (and other peoples') loneliness.

The kids are alright: adolescents’ experiences during COVID-19 disruption

Purpose

This study aimed to understand adolescents’ experiences, negative feelings and coping mechanisms associated with the major disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to develop a baseline for understanding adolescents and their environment to assist future developments of technological and other solutions to mitigate adolescents’ loneliness, improve their wellbeing and strengthen their resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

The data about adolescents’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic was collected through virtual interviews conducted via Zoom. A total of 39 adolescents (aged 12 through 18 years) primarily from the North East of the USA participated in the study. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Findings

This study found evidence of negative disruptions to adolescents’ social, learning and emotional routines. This study also found that in dealing with the effects of COVID-19 disruption, most of the participants exhibited five key attributes of individual resilience, including social competence, problem-solving, critical consciousness, autonomy and a sense of purpose. External factors supporting resilience were also mentioned, including technology resources, family, school and broader community.

Originality/value

This study relied on first-hand adolescents’ reports of their experiences, feelings and coping strategies during the pandemic. This study applied a resilience framework to interpret the findings and translate them into recommendations for further development of support systems for adolescents.

Getting Through the Crisis Together: Do Friendships Contribute to University Students' Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Social contacts and social support represent resources that contribute to resilience. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated measures, including contact restrictions, posed challenges for young adults' social networks, in particular for their friendships. Employing a mixed-method approach, we investigated the pandemic's effects on friendships and their role in successfully navigating the crisis. We combined a qualitative approach based on narratives and in-depth interviews and a quantitative approach based on online surveys focusing on university students in Austria. Longitudinal data collections allowed investigating changes and developments as the pandemic progressed. Results indicate profound challenges for participants' friendships and difficulties in both building new and maintaining existing friendships. This also impaired the provision of social support by friends, scattering participants' social resources and diminishing their resilience rather than strengthening it. Altogether, the results of this longitudinal study suggest a lasting negative effect of the pandemic on friendships for students.

Key questions: research priorities for student mental health

BACKGROUND

The high prevalence of mental distress among university students is gaining academic, policy and public attention. As the volume of research into student mental health increases, it is important to involve students to ensure that the evidence produced can translate into meaningful improvements.

AIMS

For the first time, we consult UK students about their research priorities on student mental health.

METHOD

This priority setting exercise involved current UK university students who were asked to submit three research questions relating to student mental health. Responses were aggregated into themes through content analysis and considered in the context of existing research. Students were involved throughout the project, including inception, design, recruitment, analysis and dissemination.

RESULTS

UK university students (N = 385) submitted 991 questions, categorised into seven themes: epidemiology, causes and risk factors, academic factors and work-life balance, sense of belonging, intervention and services, mental health literacy and consequences. Across themes, respondents highlighted the importance of understanding the experience of minority groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Students are interested in understanding the causes and consequences of poor mental health at university, across academic and social domains. They would like to improve staff and students' knowledge about mental health, and have access to evidence-based support. Future research should take a broad lens to evaluate interventions; considering how services are designed and delivered, and investigating institutional and behavioural barriers to accessibility, including how this varies across different groups within the student population.

Socio-economic inequalities in social network, loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a focus on isolation and loneliness is important, especially as social distancing policies (which for some groups involve self-isolation or quarantine) are likely to accentuate these experiences and affect mental health.

AIMS

This study focuses on socio-economic inequalities in social network, loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Two-hundred and fourteen residents of Wandsworth, a South West London Borough in the United Kingdom completed an online cross-sectional survey on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Data were analysed using independent samples t-tests and multiple regression.

RESULTS

Middle-aged people reported a less strong social network and more loneliness, anxiety and depression than younger people. People with a long-term health condition reported a less strong social network, more loneliness, more general practitioner (GP) and hospital visits, and poorer mental health than those with no long-term health conditions. People receiving State financial benefits reported less use of public spaces, a less strong social network, more loneliness, more GP and hospital visits and poorer mental health than those not receiving benefits. Greater neighbourhood identification was associated with a stronger social network and better mental health outcomes. Multiple regression analyses showed that, over and above loneliness, perceived personal risk of COVID-19 constitutes an additional precipitant for both depression and anxiety when controlling for other variables.

CONCLUSION

As a novel stressor associated with the pandemic, the situational and involuntary perception of being at risk of COVID-19 may be stimulating anxiety and depressive symptomatology, which will need to be managed effectively as resurgences of the disease are predicted and communicated to the general public under growing mistrust and uncertainty.

This is what loneliness looks like: A mixed-methods study of loneliness in adolescence and young adulthood

The present study used quantitative and qualitative methods to explore how lonely young people are seen from others' perspectives, in terms of their personality, behaviour and life circumstances. Data were drawn from the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study, a cohort of 2,232 individuals born in the United Kingdom in the mid-1990s. When participants were aged 18, they provided self-reports of loneliness, and informant ratings of loneliness were provided by interviewers, as well as participants' parents and siblings. Interviewers further provided Big Five personality ratings, and detailed written notes in which they documented their perceptions of the participants and their reflections on the content of the interview. In the quantitative section of the paper, regression analyses were used to examine the perceptibility of loneliness, and how participants' loneliness related to their perceived personality traits. The informant ratings of participants' loneliness showed good agreement with self-reports. Furthermore, loneliness was associated with lower perceived conscientiousness, agreeableness and extraversion, and higher perceived neuroticism. Within-twin pair analyses indicated that these associations were partly explained by common underlying genetic influences. In the qualitative section of the study, the loneliest 5% of study participants (N=108) were selected, and thematic analysis was applied to the study' interviewers' notes about those participants. Three themes were identified and named: 'uncomfortable in own skin', 'clustering of risk', and 'difficulties accessing social resources'. These results add depth to the current conceptualisation of loneliness, and emphasise the complexity and intersectional nature of the circumstances severely lonely young adults live in.

Loneliness as an active ingredient in preventing or alleviating youth anxiety and depression: a critical interpretative synthesis incorporating principles from rapid realist reviews

Loneliness is a relatively common problem in young people (14-24 years) and predicts the onset of depression and anxiety. Interventions to reduce loneliness thus have significant potential as active ingredients in strategies to prevent or alleviate anxiety and depression among young people. Previous reviews have focused on quantitative evidence and have not examined potential mechanisms that could be targets for intervention strategies. To build on this work, in this review we aimed to combine qualitative and quantitative evidence with stakeholder views to identify interventions that appear worth testing for their potential effectiveness in reducing loneliness, anxiety and depression in young people aged 14-24 years, and provide insights into the potential mechanisms of action. We conducted a Critical Interpretative Synthesis, a systematic review method that iteratively synthesises qualitative and quantitative evidence and is explicitly focused on building theory through a critical approach to the evidence that questions underlying assumptions. Literature searches were performed using nine databases, and eight additional databases were searched for theses and grey literature. Charity and policy websites were searched for content relevant to interventions for youth loneliness. We incorporated elements of Rapid Realistic Review approaches by consulting with young people and academic experts to feed into search strategies and the resulting conceptual framework, in which we aimed to set out which interventions appear potentially promising in terms of theoretical and empirical underpinnings and which fit with stakeholder views. We reviewed effectiveness data and quality ratings for the included randomised controlled trials only. Through synthesising 27 studies (total participants n = 105,649; range 1-102,072 in different studies) and grey literature, and iteratively consulting with stakeholders, a conceptual framework was developed. A range of 'Intrapersonal' (e.g. therapy that changes thinking and behaviour), 'Interpersonal' (e.g. improving social skills), and 'Social' Strategies (e.g. enhancing social support, and providing opportunities for social contact) seem worth testing further for their potential to help young people address loneliness, thereby preventing or alleviating depression and/or anxiety. Such strategies should be co-designed with young people and personalised to fit individual needs. Plausible mechanisms of action are facilitating sustained social support, providing opportunities for young people to socialise with peers who share similar experiences, and changing thinking and behaviour, for instance through building positive attitudes to themselves and others. The most convincing evidence of effectiveness was found in support of Intrapersonal Strategies: two randomised controlled studies quality-rated as 'good' found decreases in loneliness associated with different forms of therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or peer network counselling), although power calculations were not reported, and effect sizes were small or missing. Strategies to address loneliness and prevent or alleviate anxiety and depression need to be co-designed and personalised. Promising elements to incorporate into these strategies are social support, including from peers with similar experiences, and psychological therapy.

Explanatory Models for Mental Distress Among University Students in Ethiopia: A Qualitative Study

Background

Socio-culturally determined processes account for how individuals give meanings to health, illness, causal attributions, expectations from treatment, and related outcomes. There is limited evidence of explanatory models for mental distress among higher education institutions in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to explore the explanatory models for mental distress among Wolaita Sodo University.

Methods

The current study used a phenomenological research approach, and we collected data from 21 students. The participants were purposively recruited based on eligibility criteria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from December 2017 to January 2018 using the Short Explanatory Models Interview. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed into the Amharic language and translated into English. Data were analyzed using framework analysis with the assistance of open code software 4.02.

Results

Most students experienced symptoms of being anxious, fatigue, headaches and feelings of hopelessness. They labeled these symptoms like anxiety or stress. The most commonly reported causal explanations were psychosocial factors. Students perceived that their anxiety or stress was severe that mainly affected their mind, which in turn impacted their interactions with others, academic result, emotions and motivation to study. Almost all the students received care from informal sources, although they wanted to receive care from mental health professionals. They managed their mental distress using positive as well as negative coping strategies.

Conclusion

The policy implication of our findings is that mental health interventions in higher education institutions in Ethiopia should take into account the explanatory models of students’ psychological distress.

A Conceptual Review of Loneliness in Adults: Qualitative Evidence Synthesis

The paper reports an evidence synthesis of how loneliness is conceptualised in qualitative studies in adults. Using PRISMA guidelines, our review evaluated exposure to or experiences of loneliness by adults (aged 16+) in any setting as outcomes, processes, or both. Our initial review included any qualitative or mixed-methods study, published or unpublished, in English, from 1945 to 2018, if it employed an identified theory or concept for understanding loneliness. The review was updated to include publications up to November 2020. We used a PEEST (Participants, Exposure, Evaluation, Study Design, Theory) inclusion criteria. Data extraction and quality assessment (CASP) were completed and cross-checked by a second reviewer. The Evidence of Reviews of Qualitative Research (CERQual) was used to evaluate confidence in the findings. We undertook a thematic synthesis using inductive methods for peer-reviewed papers. The evidence identified three types of distinct but overlapping conceptualisations of loneliness: social, emotional, and existential. We have high confidence in the evidence conceptualising social loneliness and moderate confidence in the evidence on emotional and existential loneliness. Our findings provide a more nuanced understanding of these diverse conceptualisations to inform more effective decision-making and intervention development to address the negative wellbeing impacts of loneliness.

Loneliness unlocked: Associations with smartphone use and personality

Communication and relationships have been dramatically altered among emerging adults thanks to the rapid adoption of the smartphone in just over a decade. Studying the effects of evolving personal technology helps researchers understand both the detriments of widespread adoption and the benefits that accompany the technology. One such area of concern is the relationship of technology with loneliness. Emerging adulthood is described as the period of transition from adolescence to adulthood, taking place from age 18-25. This period is characterized by change, exploration, but also a vulnerability to psychological distress. Young adults are not only at greater risk of loneliness compared to other developmental stages, but report greater distress about being lonely (Rokach, 2000). Previous research has found support for the hypothesis that use of social communication on the Internet has a bidirectional relationship with loneliness (Nowland et al., 2018); use of the Internet can support relationships and decrease loneliness, but if used as a compensation for social skill deficits, the Internet can also displace quality time spent in relationships, and thereby increase loneliness. This study examines loneliness and its relationship with smartphone use, while also accounting for individual differences in facets of neuroticism, communication apprehension, emotional support, and nomophobia for emerging adults. Participants (N = 302; M_AGE = 18.85) completed self-report measures of loneliness and the individual differences variables. They also reported average daily smartphone data of screen time, pickups, and application (app) use, which was measured by their personal devices. Correlations indicated loneliness was positively associated with screen time, social media app use, neuroticism, social recognition, communication anxiety, and nomophobia. Loneliness was negatively associated with smartphone pickups, communication application use, need for affiliation, and emotional support. A regression analysis revealed that neuroticism, need for affiliation, social recognition, emotional support, and smartphone pickups were significant predictors of loneliness, when taking into account all the individual difference and smartphone use variables. Neuroticism and loneliness have a strong relationship, but a hierarchical regression showed that over and above neuroticism and its facets, smartphone screen time and pickups predict loneliness. Overall, the results for this sample of emerging adults supported the hypotheses by Nowland et al. (2018) about social use of the Internet, but applied to smartphone use. More time spent on one's smartphone and on social media apps is related to increased loneliness, and is discussed in context of identity development. More frequent use (pickups) and use of communication apps is related to decreased loneliness and is discussed with respect to development of relationship intimacy. These results suggest that loneliness in young adults is related to different types of smartphone use, even when accounting for stable characteristics such as personality. Finally, neuroticism remains a significant variable in understanding loneliness, and further examination of lower-order facets help define a more nuanced profile in individual differences.

Connection, constraint, and coping: A qualitative study of experiences of loneliness during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated physical distancing which is expected to continue in some form for the foreseeable future. Physical distancing policies have increased reliance on digital forms of social connection and there are widespread concerns about social isolation and mental health in this context. This qualitative study sought to understand how loneliness was experienced during physical distancing in the initial national UK COVID-19 lockdown. Eight individuals who reported feeling lonely during the initial lockdown were interviewed in May 2020. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four main themes were identified: (1) Loss of in-person interaction causing loneliness, (2) Constrained freedom, (3) Challenging emotions, and (4) Coping with loneliness. The loss of in-person interaction contributed to feelings of loneliness and digital interaction was viewed as an insufficient alternative. Social freedom could be constrained by distancing policies and by social contacts, contributing to strained personal relationships and feelings of frustration as part of loneliness. Fluctuations in mood and difficult emotions were experienced alongside loneliness, and distraction and seeking reconnection were commonly reported methods of coping, although they were less accessible. These findings indicate that physical distancing measures can impact loneliness due to the limitations they impose on in-person social contact and the perceived insufficiency of digital contact as a substitute.

Emotional Resilience as a Major Factor in the Mental Health of Prospective University Students

This study investigates the issues of emotional stability as the main factor in the mental health of students of modern higher educational institutions. The relevance of the subject matter is conditioned by the high psychological and psycho-emotional stress that students of many specialties of modern higher educational institutions have to face during their studying, as well as the need for high psychological and emotional stability to handle such stress and successfully complete the training. The leading approach in this study is a combination of a system analysis of the influence of emotional overload on students of modern higher educational institutions during their training with the study of the features of increasing emotional stability in conditions of psychological overload during lectures at a university, which have a considerable impact on the psyche of a student and can cause numerous nervous breakdowns. The results of this study clearly emphasise the importance of the emotional stability of prospective university students as a factor that prevents the development of disorders of their mental health, and also necessitates the development of emotional stability in modern prospective university students to create a reliable, highquality basis for strengthening mental health. The results and conclusions of this study are of substantial importance for students of modern higher educational institutions, university teachers, as well as for numerous researchers of the issues of improving emotional and psychological stability in conditions of high loads associated with intense mental activity inherent in both students and representatives of various spheres of mental labour

Young Adults' Experience of Loneliness in London's Most Deprived Areas

Young adults (16–24 years old) are currently the loneliest group in Western countries. In particular, young adults of lower socio-economic status (SES) living in the most deprived areas are loneliest in the United Kingdom. This mixed-methods study explored the experience of loneliness among this under-explored demographic in London. Using a novel free association technique, the experience of loneliness was found to be characterized by: a sense of isolation, negative emotions and thoughts, coping and a positive orientation to aloneness. An exploration of these themes revealed that: one can feel isolated or excluded even when surrounded by people; the experience of loneliness is accompanied by a set of interrelated feelings and thoughts like rumination; and technological and/or non-technological outlets can be used to cope. Social media play both a positive and negative role in loneliness, and loneliness is not always experienced negatively. The quantitative data indicated that this sample was lonely. By providing insight into young adults’ loneliness, the findings indicate what types of interventions are likely to diminish it.

Cyberbullying, social stigma, and self-esteem: the impact of COVID-19 on students from East and Southeast Asia at the University of Jordan

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way people live, work, and socialize, and has perhaps even altered the reasons why they harass one another. To our knowledge, the present study is one of the first studies to address cyberbullying among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional objectives were to reveal the causes and types of cyberbullying that university students from East and Southeast Asia have experienced because of COVID-19, and to explore the relationship between cyberbullying and self-esteem. Of the 525 university students from different East and Southeast Asian countries and varied academic backgrounds who were invited to participate in the study, 310 students agreed and were included. Moreover, a sample of 400 Jordanian undergraduate students, who participated in cyberbullying against East and Southeast Asian students on social media, answered a questionnaire to reveal their reasons for engaging in bullying during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also examined the relationship and differences between sex and nationality. The findings revealed that cyberbullying contributed to low self-esteem in students of East and Southeast Asian descent who were victims of bullying. Men were more likely to be bullies and cyberbullies than women. The bullies admitted that the main reason for cyberbullying was humor, and that they were unaware that their harsh or aggressive behaviors could be categorized as bullying. This study aimed to make a positive contribution to the scant literature on cyberbullying/cyber racism among university students in an Arab country. We believe our findings can help guide the formulation of policies and solutions that address cyberbullying, especially between resident and foreign students.

Physical Activity, Loneliness, and Meaning of Friendship in Young Individuals - A Mixed-Methods Investigation Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Three Cross-Sectional Studies

Meaningful social interactions and regular physical activity are inversely associated with loneliness. Using a mixed-methods research design employing quantitative and qualitative research approaches, this research aimed to explore loneliness, physical activity, friendship, and experiences relating to the COVID-19 pandemic both prior to and during the pandemic. Quantitative data of (1) n = 363 first-year university students assessed in 2018/2019 and of (2) n = 175 individuals aged 18-29 years assessed in 2020 were gathered using independent self-administered online surveys. In addition, (3) n = 4 students were recruited for semi-structured, qualitative interviews in 2020 during the onset phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Correlation and regression analyses as well as analyses of variance were conducted. Thematic analysis as a qualitative method was used to explore the role physical activity, friendship, and social interactions played in loneliness, particularly in times of social isolation and social distancing. Results revealed associations of varying strength between physical activity and loneliness in 2018/2019 (r = -0.09, p ≤ 0.05) and 2020 (r = -0.20, p < 0.01). In 2020, n = 73 (41.7%) participants felt that their loneliness had increased since the COVID-19 social and physical distancing guidelines were introduced, but this was not associated with a perceived change in physical activity (r = -0.05, p > 0.05). Analyses of qualitative data revealed three main themes: (1) the lack of deep friendships at university, (2) the positive perceived impact of team sports on feelings of loneliness, and (3) the need for real connection in times of crisis. Thus, with regard to feelings of loneliness during the pandemic, being physically active seems to be a small but potentially relevant factor among young individuals. The qualitative study suggests that first-year university students might buffer the lack of deep friendships and meaningful interactions by building social bonds in team sports. In times of physical distancing, young individuals vulnerable to loneliness may therefore require special support such as doing sports with physical distance and perceiving connected with their team for instance by digital devices and emotional coping.

The Road to Becoming a Psychologist: Indicators of Success and Hardship during the University Years

In order to become a full-fledged psychologist, one must undertake a long, demanding, and quite difficult journey in academia. The academic journey holds a promise of delivering knowledge, interesting theories, and strategies on helping those who need psychological assessment and/or treatment. However, the constant expectation of keeping up with the material, of succeeding in tests and exams, and of preparing to proceed to the next educational level can be daunting and exhausting. In line with the topic of this special issue, this paper addresses factors contributing to academic success at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels of psychology. Utilizing the available literature on the Big Five personality classification scheme, high conscientiousness was found to be the most consistent predictor of success, although curiously, this relationship was only found to be reliable at the undergraduate level. Less robust findings included high agreeableness and low neuroticism as predictors of general academic success in all tertiary levels of education. The importance of mentorship figures in psychology, and a highlight of its lack of widespread implementation at the undergraduate level, are also addressed. Additionally, we discuss the negative implications of the impostor phenomenon and of loneliness, which students at all levels may experience as common barriers to scholastic success in psychology. Following a discussion of each factor as outlined above, there is a brief literature review regarding ways that its constraining effects may be limited or its positive effects possibly enhanced.