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Spotting Loneliness at School: Associations between Self-Reports and Teacher and Peer Nominations

Author

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  • Flore Geukens

    (School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Marlies Maes

    (School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
    Research Foundation, Flanders (FWO), 1000 Brussels, Belgium
    Youth Studies, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands)

  • Antonius H. N. Cillessen

    (Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, 6503 GG Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

  • Hilde Colpin

    (School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Karla Van Leeuwen

    (Parenting and Special Education, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Karine Verschueren

    (School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Luc Goossens

    (School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

Abstract

In two independent studies, we aimed to examine the extent to which teacher and peer nominations of loneliness are associated with children’s and adolescents’ self-reported loneliness, respectively. Additionally, we examined whether loneliness nominations from teachers and peers were informative above and beyond peer status and social behaviors associated with loneliness. In Study 1 ( N = 1594, M age = 9.43 years), teacher nominations of loneliness showed a small to moderate correlation with children’s self-reported loneliness as assessed using the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire (LSDQ). The results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that teacher nominations of loneliness predicted children’s self-reported loneliness above and beyond teacher nominations of peer status and social behaviors. In Study 2 ( N = 350, M age = 13.81 years), peer nominations of loneliness showed a small to moderate correlation with adolescents’ self-reported loneliness as assessed using the peer-related loneliness subscale of the Loneliness and Aloneness Scale for Children and Adolescents (LACA). The results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that peer nominations of loneliness predicted adolescents’ self-reported loneliness above and beyond peer nominations of peer status and social behaviors. We conclude that loneliness nominations are valuable, but caution is needed when they are used exclusively to identify lonely children and adolescents.

Suggested Citation

  • Flore Geukens & Marlies Maes & Antonius H. N. Cillessen & Hilde Colpin & Karla Van Leeuwen & Karine Verschueren & Luc Goossens, 2021. "Spotting Loneliness at School: Associations between Self-Reports and Teacher and Peer Nominations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-15, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:3:p:971-:d:485388
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Leann Schneider & Ulrich Schimmack, 2009. "Self-Informant Agreement in Well-Being Ratings: A Meta-Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 94(3), pages 363-376, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Larissa L. Wieczorek & Sarah Humberg & Denis Gerstorf & Jenny Wagner, 2021. "Understanding Loneliness in Adolescence: A Test of Competing Hypotheses on the Interplay of Extraversion and Neuroticism," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-26, November.
    2. Paweł Grygiel & Sławomir Rębisz & Anna Gaweł & Barbara Ostafińska-Molik & Małgorzata Michel & Julia Łosiak-Pilch & Roman Dolata, 2022. "The Inclusion of Other-Sex Peers in Peer Networks and Sense of Peer Integration in Early Adolescence: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-24, November.

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