Global rise in adolescent loneliness

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.06.006

Commentary

Several studies have reported an increase in adolescent loneliness and depression in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada since 2012. But is this trend similar in other countries? It is unclear whether it is related to possible factors such as economic conditions, use of technology, and changes in family size, according to the report.

Therefore, the study conducted the International Student Achievement Survey (PISA) survey of 15- and 16-year-old students around the world and included six measures of school loneliness in 2000, 2003, 2012, 2015, and 2018. (n = 1,049,784, 51% female) It covered 37 countries.

Results showed that loneliness among school-aged children increased from 2012 to 2018 in 36 of the 37 countries.

Worldwide, almost twice as many adolescents in 2018 (compared to 2012) had increased levels of loneliness in school, greater for girls than boys, and greater in countries where there was perfect constancy in the measurements.

In addition, a multilevel modeling analysis found that higher rates of smartphone access and Internet use were associated with higher levels of school loneliness. In contrast, higher unemployment predicted lower school loneliness, and income inequality, GDP, and total fertility rate (family size) were not significantly associated with school loneliness when matched by year.

These loneliness was positively correlated with negative affect and negatively correlated with positive affect and life satisfaction, suggesting that this measure has broad implications for adolescent well-being.