Loneliness in Children

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Children experiencing difficulties in their peer relations have typically been identified using external sources of information, such as teacher referrals or ratings, sociometric measures, and/or behavioral observations. There is a need to supplement these assessment procedures with self-report measures that assess the degree to which the children themselves feel satisfaction with their peer relationships. A 16-item self-report measure of loneliness and social dissatisfaction was developed. In surveying 506 3rd- through 6th-grade children, the measure was internally reliable. More than 10% of children reported feelings of loneliness and social dissatisfaction, and children''s feelings of loneliness were significantly related to their sociometric status. The relationship of loneliness and sociometric status to school achievement was also examined.