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Declining loneliness over time : Evidence from american colleges and high schools
Clarke, Matthew Loxton, Natalie Tobin, Stephanie
Clarke, Matthew
Loxton, Natalie
Tobin, Stephanie
Abstract
We examined changes in loneliness over time. Study 1 was a cross-temporal meta-analysis of 48 samples of American college students who completed the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (total N = 13,041). In Study 1, loneliness declined from 1978 to 2009 (d = −0.26). Study 2 used a representative sample of high school students from the Monitoring the Future project (total N = 385,153). In Study 2, loneliness declined from 1991 to 2012. Declines were similar among White students (d = −0.14), Black students (d = −0.17), male students (d = −0.11), and female students (d = −0.11). Different loneliness factors showed diverging trends. Subjective isolation declined (d = −0.20), whereas social network isolation increased (d = 0.06). We discuss the declines in loneliness within the context of other cultural changes, including changes to group membership and personality.
Keywords
Date
2015
Type
Journal article
Journal
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Book
Volume
41
Issue
1
Page Range
78-89
Article Number
ACU Department
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled