Loneliness in Childhood

Weeks, Molly S.; Asher, Steven R.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-394388-0.00001-0

Cited by 52 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…Answers were distributed across a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1–5, where ‘ never or very rarely’ was coded as 1 and ‘ very often’ was coded as 5. In line with current recommendations [25], this measure focused solely on the emotional experience of loneliness, without assessment of hypothesised causes. Psychological distress was measured using a validated five-item, short-version instrument, the SCL-5.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We suspect that the social detachment which may follow exposure to interpersonal violence may be experienced as loneliness. An individual’s sense of loneliness is known to develop in the interplay between genetic predispositions and environmental influences, such as lack of parental attachment, peer rejection or bullying [24,25]. To our knowledge, the relationship between the range of interpersonal violence experienced by children and adolescents and loneliness remain to be explored.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Recurrent headache and interpersonal violence in adolescence: the roles of psychological distress, loneliness and family cohesion: the HUNT study

et al. 2014

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BackgroundRecurrent headache is the most common and disabling pain condition in adolescence. Co-occurrence of psychosocial adversity is associated with increased risk of chronification and functional impairment. Exposure to interpersonal violence seems to constitute an important etiological factor. Thus, knowledge of the multiple pathways linking interpersonal violence to recurrent headache could help guide preventive and clinical interventions. In the present study we explored a hypothetical causal model where the link between exposure to interpersonal violence and recurrent headache is mediated in parallel through loneliness and psychological distress. Higher level of family cohesion and male sex is hypothesized to buffer the adverse effect of exposure to interpersonal violence on headache.MethodsThe model was assessed using data from the cross-sectional, population-based Young-HUNT 3 study of Norwegian adolescents, conducted from 2006–2008. A cohort of 10 464 adolescents were invited. The response rate was 73% (7620), age ranged from 12 and 20 years, and 50% (3832) were girls. The study comprised self-report measures of exposure to interpersonal violence, loneliness, psychological distress and family cohesion, in addition to a validated interview on headache, meeting the International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria. Recurrent headache was defined as headache recurring at least monthly during the past year, and sub-classified into monthly and weekly headache, which served as separate outcomes.ResultsIn Conditional Process Analysis, loneliness and psychological distress consistently posed as parallel mediating mechanisms, indirectly linking exposure to interpersonal violence to recurrent headache. We found no substantial moderating effect of family cohesion or sex.ConclusionsLoneliness and psychological distress seem to play crucial roles in the relationship between exposure to interpersonal violence and recurrent headache. To facilitate coping and recovery, it may be helpful to account for these factors in preventive and clinical interventions. Trauma-informed, social relationship-based interventions may represent a major opportunity to alter trajectories of recurrent headache.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recurrent headache and interpersonal violence in adolescence: the roles of psychological distress, loneliness and family cohesion: the HUNT study

et al. 2014

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“…Previous research has provided important knowledge about predictors of loneliness in childhood and adolescence (Weeks & Asher, 2012). However, research on factors that predict loneliness beyond the adolescent years into adulthood is sparse.…”

Section: Predictors Of Loneliness Trajectories Across Adolescence Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sociodemographic variables and parental characteristics. Empirical findings on the role of gender for loneliness among young people is mixed, with some studies reporting more loneliness among young women, others reporting more loneliness among young men, and yet other studies not finding significant gender differences (Schinka et al, 2013;Weeks & Asher, 2012). This variation across studies has long been proposed to result from differences in how loneliness is assessed (Borys & Perlman, 1985).…”

Section: Predictors Of Loneliness Trajectories Across Adolescence Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In line with this view, a review of studies of mainly adolescent and young adult samples showed that direct measures revealed young women to report feeling more lonely than young men, whereas indirect measures revealed no gender differences or even higher levels of loneliness among men (Borys & Perlman, 1985). However, another review suggests that the available evidence in general does not support the notion of gender differences in loneliness among children and adolescents (Weeks & Asher, 2012). Possibly, gender differences may also vary by the domains of loneliness considered.…”

Section: Predictors Of Loneliness Trajectories Across Adolescence Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The development of loneliness through adolescence and young adulthood: Its nature, correlates, and midlife outcomes.

Soest¹,

Luhmann²,

Gerstorf³

2020

Developmental Psychology

133

125

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Adolescence and young adulthood are characterized by substantial sociodemographic, family, social, and personality changes that may influence loneliness. Although loneliness is a public health challenge, we know little about how loneliness develops during these periods. Our study addresses this lacuna by using four-wave longitudinal data from 3,116 Norwegians aged 13 to 31 years, making use of questionnaire (key facets and correlates of loneliness) and register linkage information (midlife outcomes). Analyses revealed that when asking directly about feeling lonely and for emotional facets, loneliness increased from early adolescence to age mid-20s, whereas social facets of loneliness declined gradually and plateaued when people had reached their mid-20s. Several predictors operated consistently across loneliness facets, whereas others operated in facet-specific ways. To illustrate, perceiving one's parents as caring, having close friends, not leaving the parental home before age 18, and reporting more agency were each associated with less loneliness across assessment modes. In contrast, when asked directly, women reported more loneliness than men at all ages, whereas men reported more social loneliness. Finally, adolescents and young adults who reported feeling lonely and/or increased in loneliness were consistently at higher risk for disability and lower income in midlife, whereas other important midlife outcomes including education, labor market inclusion, and prescriptions of antidepressants exhibited facet-specific associations. Our study is the first to provide a comprehensive picture of loneliness development throughout the second and third decade of life and highlights the multidimensionality and multidirectionality of loneliness trajectories and correlates across adolescence and early adulthood.

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Loneliness and Belongingness in the College Years

Asher

Weeks

2013

The Handbook of Solitude

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Loneliness in Childhood

Cited by 52 publications

References 81 publications

Recurrent headache and interpersonal violence in adolescence: the roles of psychological distress, loneliness and family cohesion: the HUNT study

Recurrent headache and interpersonal violence in adolescence: the roles of psychological distress, loneliness and family cohesion: the HUNT study

The development of loneliness through adolescence and young adulthood: Its nature, correlates, and midlife outcomes.

Loneliness and Belongingness in the College Years

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