Coping with loneliness in childhood

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine coping with loneliness during early, middle, and late childhood, which is a highly neglected research issue. Children's perceptions of coping with loneliness and coping with real loneliness experiences in the past were investigated. Interviews were conducted with 180 second, fourth, and sixth graders from Athens, Greece. Qualitative analyses of children's responses were done on the basis of a recent conceptualization of coping with stress in childhood and adolescence (Skinner & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2007), which was supported by the data. Statistically significant age and gender differences were found. Results are discussed from the viewpoint of the two literatures-coping and lonelinessthat this study attempted to bring together, and suggestions for future research are made.

The Use of Telephone Help-lines by Lonely Children and Adolescents

“…Helpseeking as a form of coping appears to decline with age. The most frequent strategy that 7-12-year-old children reported they had used in the past to stop feeling lonely was seeking help from others, usually from parents, siblings, grand parents and peers [37]. However, as children become older they develop more capacity for self-regulation, have more autonomy, experience and knowledge and are able to use more coping strategies but surprisingly tend to use withdrawal as a coping mechanism for their loneliness [38].…”

Psychological Well-Being in Awaiting-Trial Inmates: The Roles of Loneliness and Social Support

“…Loneliness places individuals at risk of physical ailments, such as poor cardiovascular health and impaired immune responses [12]. Loneliness is also associated with mental health issues such as, psychosis, personality disorders, impaired cognitive functioning, low self-esteem and depression [2][3]. Particular concern is the correlation between loneliness and suicide or suicidal ideation.…”

“…That is, loneliness would negatively predict psychological well-being. The proposal is based on the burgeoning research [3,12], which demonstrate that loneliness is associated with poor psychological well-being. Because many awaiting-trial inmates are in social isolation, where the inmate have no social network and really do not have anyone or set of friends, the individual's psychological well-being of that individual would most likely be poor.…”

- The Association Between School Class Composition and Suicidal Ideation in Late Adolescence: Findings From the Young-Hunt 3 Study

“…There is strong evidence that loneliness is related to anxiety [26][27][28] and depression [29][30][31], but few studies have reported associations between loneliness and somatic symptoms [1]. Loneliness among children and adolescents has been studied mainly in the school setting, and few researchers have tested initiatives to buffer feelings of loneliness [32][33][34]. Furthermore, as far as we are aware, no studies have reported on relational trust as a potential to reduce harmful effects of loneliness in school.…”