A developmental study of loneliness in childhood. Dr. Maureen Liepins
Introduction This paper describes a study which provides evidence for the challenge which h primary school pupils face when they experience loneliness. The drawings were reproduced from the children s work in the course of the study. This paper includes: A summary of earlier research The rationale for this study of loneliness in children A description of the methodology of the study A summary of the findings Implications for interventions
Summary of research Little research into loneliness was reported before the 1970s Research is difficult because of the subjective nature of the concept Most research was carried out with adults The focus, purposes, definitions and populations in reported research differed widely Different conceptualisations of loneliness were used (e.g. social needs model, cognitive processes) Approaches to assessment and measurement varied
Summary of research (cont.) Weiss (1973) distinguished between loneliness associated with social isolation and loneliness associated with emotional isolation. Research indicates that loneliness in adults is a multidimensional phenomenon with negative connotations, experienced cross-culturally Chronic loneliness in adults is associated with threats to health and well-being.
The rationale for this study of loneliness in children Increasing interest in promoting mental health in children and young people Implications of chronic loneliness in adults Lack of research with children Earlier researchers thought children didn t experience loneliness Increasing evidence that children as young as 3 years old are aware of loneliness Very little research published re loneliness in children in UK
Rationale for this study of loneliness in children (cont.) Methodology rarely investigated children s language Existing research with children shared some difficulties of research with adults e.g. issues re measurement, definitions Some research developed from social skills work loneliness was not the original focus Researchers focussed on specific age groups developmental issues not addressed
Rationale for this study of loneliness in children (cont.) Researchers did not always use the word lonely in their work with children Little research about whether children considered loneliness to be a problem Little research about coping strategies Parkhurst and Hopmeyer (1999) potentially useful developmental framework
The methodology of the study Children from NC Years 1, 3, and 5 in three schools 85 children (46 boys, 39 girls) Children selected randomly with parental consent Content of investigation explained to teachers Children interviewed i individually id Warm-up exercise introduced the children to talking about feelings
The methodology of the study (cont.) Children not required to read or write - allowed to draw if they wished Structured interview used The children s verbal ability assessed using BASII The children s responses audio-taped and transcribed Slight alterations were made to the procedures after pilot study Content t children s drawings not analyzed. Content of verbal responses analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Coding procedure was used; inter-coder reliability was assessed.
Structured interview What does 'lonely' mean? Does a boy or girl have to be on their own or alone to feel lonely? Why is that? Do girls or boys always feel lonely when they are on their own or alone? Why is that? Where might a boy or girl feel lonely? What sort of things might have happened? Can you tell me about a time when you felt lonely? Do you think children can feel lonely in school? Why is that? Where might they feel most lonely in school? If children feel lonelyl in school, will they feel lonelyl in other places too? Why is that? How do you know when a boy or girl in your class feels lonely? How do you feel when you feel lonely? l If children feel unhappy because they are lonely, what can they do about it?
Example of coding categories, What does lonely mean? Code Exemplar 1 Child uses words such as on your own ; alone. Indicates isolation or separation from other people. 2 Child mentions a place at home ; in your room ; on holiday 3 Child mentions that other people (named or not) are absent: nobody s with you 'mum is not there' 4 Child mentions specific actions of another person (i.e. not just that they are absent) which contributed to the child feeling lonely: your mum has gone out ; 'your friends don t want to play'. 5 Child talks about own actions or behaviour which contributed to them feeling lonely you ve got lost ; 'I was moody'. 6 Feeling lonely is described in terms of another feeling: it s when you feel sad. Child may use a word which to them is synonymous: 'it's a sort of problem'. 7 Child describes something they want, but which isn't happening - an unmet need you want to play but there s no one there. 8 Child names a person/group of people considered to be lonely: X in my class ; old people ; homeless people. 9 Child says: 'Don t know'; 'No idea'; 'Can't say'.
Summary of findings No significant age/gender/school differences in verbal ability All children were willing to talk about loneliness They used negative terminology Descriptions were multidimensional Some children in each age group differentiated lonely/alone Differentiation of lonely/alone increased with age Children described several locations (including school) where they might feel lonely
Summary of findings (cont.) Younger children tended to attribute loneliness to separation from parent Older children more likely to refer to exclusion from friendship group or within-self factors Most children identified loneliness in others based on physical appearance but older children also referred to knowledge of events Involvement in play/friendship group mentioned as main coping strategy. Developmental trend re mention of feeling lonely in presence of other people. e
Implications for interventions Primary school age children talk about loneliness in complex ways They dislike feeling lonely but identified few coping strategies Similar findings across schools despite differences in catchment areas Developmental trends were identified ed Feeling lonely being alone Some children mentioned positive aspects of being alone
Implications for interventions (cont.) Evidence found for loneliness associated with emotional isolation not just lack of friends Implications for school organisational factors Value of using children s language and qualitative methods in future research Implications for promotion of emotional well-being loneliness had not been addressed in these schools Evidence for children s understanding of loneliness as a sad or aching sense of isolation: that is, of being cut off or distanced d from others (Parkhurst and Hopmeyer, 1999)