Nominating Lonely Individuals in the School Context: Examining the Validity of Peers' and Teachers' Views

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Topic - Social Relationships

Abstract

As long-lasting loneliness can have negative effects on one’s physical and mental health, it is important to detect and treat lonely feelings timely in childhood and adolescence. Information from significant others in young people’s social environment could be helpful in this regard. However, it is unclear to which degree these knowledgeable others can detect loneliness in young people. The aim of this study was twofold. First, we investigated whether significant others in the school context (i.e., peers and teachers) were able to detect loneliness among children and adolescents in their class group. Second, we examined whether loneliness nominations from teachers and peers were informative above and beyond more observable characteristics (i.e., peer status and social behaviors) attributed to lonely children and adolescents.
Sample 1 comprised 1610 Dutch children (Mage = 9.43, SD = 0.02). In this sample, teacher nominations of loneliness, peer preference, popularity, prosocial behavior, and withdrawn behavior were predictors of self-reported loneliness in a hierarchical regression analysis. Sample 2 comprised 350 Belgian adolescents (Mage = 13.81, SD = 0.02). In this sample, peer nominations of loneliness, peer preference, popularity, prosocial behavior, and withdrawn behavior were predictors of self-reported loneliness in a hierarchical regression analysis.
In Sample 1 (N = 1,594, Mage = 9.43) teacher nominations for loneliness correlated significantly with children’s self-reported loneliness, but this correlation was small to moderate. Additionally, teacher nominations for peer preference, popularity, and withdrawn behavior were predictive of children’s self-reported loneliness. Finally, teacher nominations for loneliness were predictive of children’s self-reported loneliness above and beyond teacher nominations for peer status and social behaviors. In Sample 2 (N = 350, Mage = 13.81) peer nominations for loneliness correlated significantly with adolescents’ self-reported loneliness, but this correlation was small to moderate. Additionally, peer nominations of withdrawn behavior and popularity were predictive of adolescents’ self-reported loneliness.
Thus, the convergence of teacher- and peer-reported loneliness with self-reported loneliness of children and adolescence was low to moderate. These findings suggested that for both teachers and peers it is challenging to observe loneliness in children and adolescence.

Authors

• Flore Geukens, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)
  Presenting Author

• Marlies Maes, KU Leuven
  Non-Presenting Author

• Antonius H. N. Cillessen, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hilde Colpin
  Non-Presenting Author

• Karla Van Leeuwen, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
  Non-Presenting Author

• Karine Verschueren
  Non-Presenting Author

• Luc G. Goossens, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)
  Non-Presenting Author