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

Abstract

Loneliness is a subjective distressing feeling of being disconnected from a desired group or intimate relationship. Most children and adolescents experience loneliness at some time but for 10-20% of young people it can be severe and chronic. While there are many avenues for help for distressed young people, such as friends and family as well as the professional help of counselors and psychologists, lonely young people often do not seek help. Telephone help-lines are one way to assist young people in difficulty which is cost effective, accessible and anonymous. Many countries provide this free or low cost help with specific services for youth either by telephone or online. From the call records of help-lines however, it would seem that lonely young people do not often utilize these services. The reasons for this apparent reluctance are discussed.

Utilization of child helpline (CHL) among adolescents in Saudi Arabia: Results from a national survey

“…Campbell (2015) reported that children aged 7-12 years seek help from others about their experience of loneliness. Campbell (2015) reported that children aged 7-12 years seek help from others about their experience of loneliness.…”

“…Help‐seeking depends upon age and gender. Campbell () reported that children aged 7–12 years seek help from others about their experience of loneliness. As a form of coping, it appears to decline with ages.…”

Editorial: Loneliness Past and Present, and Its Effects on our Lives

“…As a consequence of the proliferation of societal attempts to help the lonely, telephone help lines are now spread throughout the world. Campbell [9] provided a comprehensive review of the telephone help lines dedicated to helping the youth, and the reasons that children and adolescents do not take full advantage of that readily available extended hand. [10] attended to the loneliness experienced by first year college and university students, loneliness and other related emotions that may hamper their academic achievements.…”

What twitter can tell us about user experiences of crisis text lines: A qualitative study

“…For example, shame from the social stigma of mental illness is common and can interfere with individuals utilizing crisis phone lines ( Gould et al, 2006 ). Placing a greater value on self-reliance ( Gould et al, 2006 ) and concerns about anonymity ( Campbell, 2015 ) are also associated with a lower likelihood of reaching out to telephone hotlines. Despite high rates of mental illness among adolescents, uptake is limited in this population ( Evans et al, 2013 ), with one study indicating that only 2.1% of adolescents use crisis hotlines ( Gould et al, 2006 ).…”