Abstract
Background: Loneliness is common in young people, and research also suggests that more persistent forms of loneliness may be especially impacting. Yet, we know little about young people’s loneliness patterns across time. Enforced social isolation during COVID-19 may present a unique opportunity to: explore a) individual differences in young people’s loneliness responses when social interactions are under threat, b) identify the risk and protective factors that may be informative for clinical practice and c) whether more persistent forms of loneliness impact well-being to a greater degree.Methods: This study analysed data from a multi-wave study which surveyed young people (aged 12-25) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Demographics, loneliness (UCLA), wellbeing (SWEMWBS), and coping strategies were collected using an online survey. 1,624 participants were included in the analysis. Coping strategies were derived from qualitative responses using thematic analysis guidelines. Latent growth curve modelling (LGCM) and latent class growth analysis (LCGA) were used to identify the overall and distinct loneliness trajectories in young people , explore if demographic factors and coping strategies predicted the trajectory classes, and compare their effects on well-being. The LGCM was carried out in R and the LCGA and regressions (R3STEP and BCH) were carried out in MPlus.
Results: The LGCM indicated that the overall mean loneliness decreased over time. Five loneliness trajectory classes were identified using LCGA: high stable (11%), moderate decreasing (15%), low increasing (16%), moderate stable (23%), low stable (35%). Entry into the high stable loneliness group was predicted by being female. Approach coping strategies were the only coping strategies recommended by young people that predicted lower likelihood of high stable loneliness. The high stable loneliness class was associated with significantly lower wellbeing compared to the low stable, moderate stable, and moderate decreasing loneliness classes.
Conclusions: This study highlighted that just over 1 in 10 young people were at-risk of more persistent forms of loneliness and lower well-being after the isolating period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this risk was associated with being female and decreased with the recommendation of approach coping strategies such as starting a new hobby or engaging with explicit learning or mastery of a skill. Future research and clinical work should consider loneliness as a potential target for interventions and explore the utility of coping strategies to manage loneliness.
| Date of Award | 1 Oct 2023 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Jennifer Y. F. Lau (Supervisor), Michelle Moulds (Supervisor) & Delia Fuhrmann (Supervisor) |