Major Life Events as Predictors of Loneliness in Adolescence

• DOI: 10.1007/s10826-015-0243-2
• Publication Date: 2015-06-23T14:22:07Z
• Authors: Mathias Lasgaard; Cherie Armour; Rikke Holm Bramsen; Luc Goossens
• Keywords: Loneliness; 4. Education; 05 social sciences; /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200/3204; 150; 610; /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3300/3319; Adolescence; 3. Good health; Life events; Latent class analysis; name=Developmental and Educational Psychology; Family; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; name=Life-span and Life-course Studies

The present study investigates the validity of early major life events as predictors of loneliness among 978 high-school students. A cross-sectional research design was utilized to examine the relationship between latent classes of six major life events and feelings of family-related and peer-related loneliness. Latent class analysis revealed three distinct event typologies: a normative group, a mover and divorce group, and a loss and illness group. Subsequent logistic regression revealed that membership of the movers and divorce group was associated with family-related loneliness, but not with peer-related loneliness. Membership of the loss and illness group was not associated with family-related or peer-related loneliness. The study lends some support to theoretical approaches that associate loneliness with major life events. However, the mixed study results underscore the relevance of investigating a spectrum of life events and distinguishing between different sources of loneliness.