Loneliness is conceptualized as a dissatisfaction with the quality of one's social relationships, reflecting the human need to belong. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Governments imposed strict measures to reduce contagious, including school closures, physical distancing, and home quarantine/lockdown. The resulting reduction of social contacts and consequent change of daily routines increased experiences of loneliness that, in turn, exacerbated mental health difficulties/internalizing problems. This was particularly the case among adolescents, for whom interactions with peers play such a prominent role in overall wellness. However, relatively few researchers investigate the mechanisms linking loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current research project aims to better understand these issues during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large sample of Italian adolescents ages 14-19 years. Specifically, we aim to explore: (1) the prevalence of loneliness and mental health difficulties/internalizing problems; (2) the impact of loneliness on mental health; and (3) the role of potential protective and risk factors in the links between loneliness and aspects of mental health. The participants will complete an online survey to assess the experience of loneliness, mental health difficulties (e.g., anxiety, depression, sleep-related problems), and protective (e.g., support by peers), and risk (e.g., social media usage) factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current research project will help provide teachers and school principals with important tools to create a supportive and secure school environment during the uncertain period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Governments imposed several measures to reduce the spread of the contagious such as home lockdown/quarantine, school closures, and physical distancing (World Health Organization - WHO, 2021). Adopting these strict measures reduced the social contacts of all individuals and changed the daily routines, especially adolescents when interactions with peer groups are relevant for overall wellness and mental health (Crescentini et al., 2020; Loades et al., 2020; Octavius et al., 2020: Sette et al., 2020). In Italy, the school closure during the lockdown and successively the transition to blended learning created a situation of deep uncertainty, impacting adolescents' mental health and experience of loneliness (Buzzi et al., 2020; Muzi et al., 2021). Previous researchers reported the negative impact of loneliness on mental health/internalizing problems, particularly in adolescents (Ladd & Etekal, 2013; Eccles et al., 2020). Loneliness is related to depression (Ladd & Etekal, 2013), sleep disturbances (Eccles et al., 2020), and social anxiety (Maes et al., 2019) across childhood and adolescence, thereby representing a public concern to be contrasted by Governments (Cox, 2017).
However, to our knowledge, very few studies investigated the experience of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people, especially adolescents, are experiencing a reduction of social interactions in an uncertain situation (WHO, 2021). The current research project aims to better comprehend adolescents' experience of loneliness and mechanisms (i.e., protective and risk factors) linking loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of Italian adolescents. Providing teachers and school principals several tools to understand adolescents' concerns and create a supportive and secure school environment may be helpful for adolescents' overall mental health during this challenging and uncertain period.