J Adolesc Health. 2025 Aug 21:S1054-139X(25)00268-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.06.017. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study estimates multinational trends and correlates of adolescent loneliness.
METHODS: Data from the Programme for International Student Assessment administered to 1,267,476 adolescents aged 15-16 across 38 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development-member countries in 2000, 2003, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2022 were used. Surveys included 6 questions on a four-point Likert-type scale about loneliness in the school context (range: 1-4). Multilevel piecewise regression was used to estimate trends in loneliness scores during 3 periods: 2000-2012, 2012-2015, and 2015-2022. We estimated associations between loneliness and the following country-level factors: COVID-19 mortality, public health distancing measures, internet use, unemployment rate, income inequality (Gini index), and peacefulness. Models of COVID-19-related factors were restricted to 2022. The remaining models included 3 levels (individuals, country-years, and countries), allowing estimation of time-invariant between-country and longitudinal within-country effects.
RESULTS: We observed a 0.007-point decrease in mean loneliness scores per year from 2000 to 2012 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.022, 0.008), although this was not statistically significant. Loneliness scores increased by 0.045 points per year from 2012 to 2015 (95% CI: 0.035, 0.054) and by 0.017 points per year from 2015 to 2022 (95% CI: 0.008, 0.025). In within-country models, a one-hour higher country-level weekly internet use and one percentage-point higher unemployment rate were associated with 0.012 (95% CI: -0.021, -0.003) and 0.006 (95% CI: -0.011, -0.001) lower scores per year, respectively. Remaining contextual measures were not associated with loneliness.
DISCUSSION: Loneliness substantially increased from 2012 to 2015, followed by smaller annual increases until 2022. Within countries, greater increases in unemployment rates and internet use over time are associated with lower loneliness.
PMID:40838904 | DOI:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.06.017
