Adolescent Loneliness During the Health Pandemic: The Protective Role of Relationship Quality and Social Connectedness

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic engendered restrictive social distancing protocols (e.g., school closures, quarantine) that severely limited physical interactions with others beyond one’s household (Orgilés et al., 2020). Given the developmental importance of relationships with others beyond one’s family (Maria, 2020), it is probable that adolescents will experience greater perceived loneliness than before as a result of the restrictiveness of social distancing guidelines (Orben et al., 2020). Given this unique context, questions remain as to whether relationship dynamics (i.e., parent & sibling relationship quality and interactions, online communications with peers) and perceived social connectedness may buffer the impact of social distancing on perceived loneliness. Thus, we will address the following questions: 1) how does social distancing impact adolescents’ perceived loneliness; and 2) do relationship dynamics and social connectedness with parents, siblings and peers moderate the association between social distancing and adolescents’ feelings of perceived loneliness? We hypothesize that social distancing will increase adolescents’ perceived loneliness and that better relationship quality, positive interactions, and social connectedness with parents, siblings, and peers will buffer this association. Method: A 5-week survey-based study was conducted on parents (Mage = 49.26, SDage = 6.28) and adolescents (Mage = 16.16, SDage = 1.14; 1% non-Hispanic White, 11.84% multiracial, 7.89% Asian, 6.58% Black, 1.32% Hispanic/Latino, 1.32% American Indian/Alaskan Native) between April and July 2020. Dyads (N = 87) were recruited through high schools and social media posts. The first survey measured demographic information, relationship quality, perceived loneliness (UCLA; Russell, 1996), COVID-19 social distancing adherence, and perceived social connectedness during COVID-19 (Ladouceur, 2020). This was followed by four weekly surveys that tracked changes in the frequency of interactions with parents, siblings, and peers (Chung et al., 2009), perceived loneliness (RULS-8; Roberts et al., 1993), social connectedness, and social distancing adherence. Surveys were separately designed for and completed by adolescents and parents on the same day. Planned Analyses: Data collection is complete. To analyze how social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted adolescents’ perceived loneliness as well as the potential buffering effect of relationship dynamics and social connectedness, I will model changes over the 5-week period with a series of multilevel models. Unconditional growth models (both linear and quadratic) will be calculated to examine the patterns of change over time for each variable to determine the growth pattern that best represents change over time. Week one will be selected as the intercept. At Level 1, within-person growth in perceived loneliness will be modeled by regressing repeated measures of perceived loneliness over time, producing a growth trajectory characterized by unique parameters (e.g., intercept, slope) for each participant. At Level 2,the growth parameters estimated at Level 1 will become the outcome variables and will be used to estimate between-person variability. Social connectedness and relationship dynamics will be added at Level 2 to test whether the slopes of social distancing on loneliness varied by these constructs. Discussion: This study will highlight the effect of social distancing on adolescents’ wellbeing and identify potential social buffers to the impact of COVID-19.

Authors

• Marielena Barbieri, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  Presenting Author

• Evelyn Mercado, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  Non-Presenting Author