Hernández-Díaz Rogelio, Navarro-Vásquez Lucas, Aguilar-Latorre Alejandra, Méndez-López Fátima, Gascón-Santos Santiago, Magallón-Botaya Rosa
Department of Medicine, Psychiatry and Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
Torrero Primary Care Health Center - Zaragoza II Sector, Aragonese Health Service, Zaragoza, Spain.
Front Psychol. 2025 Jun 24;16:1553490. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1553490. eCollection 2025.
Loneliness, a multidimensional emotional experience resulting from unmet social needs, affects individuals across demographics and is particularly prevalent among youth. It can be social or emotional and is linked to developmental transitions, reduced social networks, mental health conditions, and excessive social media use. Unlike desired solitude, loneliness is involuntary and associated with significant physical and mental health risks, including depression, suicide, and chronic illnesses. Despite its public health impact, youth loneliness remains underrecognized, necessitating tailored interventions. This study examines its prevalence and relationship with sociodemographic factors, social support, social media use, self-esteem, and health among students in Aragon.
This cross-sectional study investigated loneliness among adolescents and young adults (14-30 years) studying in Zaragoza, Spain, using online surveys conducted in March-April 2024. A sample of 536 participants was selected based on inclusion criteria, including informed consent. Loneliness was assessed using the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, alongside sociodemographic, social, and psychological variables such as self-esteem, health, mental health, and social media use. Descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of loneliness.
The study sample comprised 73.7% women, with an average age of 20 years. Among participants, 45.9% were high school students and 54.1% university students. Higher loneliness levels are associated with spending more time on social media, fewer and lower-quality relationships, lower self-esteem, poorer self-perceived health, and having mental health problems. While no significant gender or age differences were found, the UCLA Loneliness Scale identified 31.2% of participants as lonely, and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale classified 49.1% with moderate loneliness and 27.1% with severe loneliness.
This study highlights the high prevalence of loneliness among young individuals, affecting approximately two-thirds of the population aged 14-30. The findings underscore the importance of addressing loneliness as a public health concern, with particular attention to vulnerable groups. Further research is needed to develop effective prevention, detection, and intervention strategies tailored to youth, which could be implemented through Primary Care and educational institutions.
孤独是一种因社会需求未得到满足而产生的多维度情感体验，影响着各个人口统计学群体的个体，在年轻人中尤为普遍。它可以是社交性的或情感性的，与发展转型、社交网络减少、心理健康状况以及过度使用社交媒体有关。与理想的独处不同，孤独是不由自主的，并且与重大的身心健康风险相关，包括抑郁、自杀和慢性病。尽管其对公共卫生有影响，但青少年孤独感仍未得到充分认识，需要针对性的干预措施。本研究调查了西班牙阿拉贡地区学生中孤独感的患病率及其与社会人口学因素、社会支持、社交媒体使用、自尊和健康的关系。
这项横断面研究于2024年3月至4月通过在线调查，对在西班牙萨拉戈萨学习的青少年和青年（14 - 30岁）中的孤独感进行了调查。根据纳入标准，包括知情同意，选取了536名参与者作为样本。使用加州大学洛杉矶分校孤独感量表和德容 - 吉尔维尔德孤独感量表评估孤独感，同时还评估了社会人口学、社会和心理变量，如自尊、健康、心理健康和社交媒体使用情况。进行了描述性、相关性和回归分析以确定孤独感的预测因素。
研究样本中女性占73.7%，平均年龄为20岁。参与者中，45.9%是高中生，54.1%是大学生。孤独感水平较高与在社交媒体上花费更多时间、人际关系数量较少且质量较低、自尊较低、自我感知健康较差以及有心理健康问题有关。虽然未发现显著的性别或年龄差异，但加州大学洛杉矶分校孤独感量表将31.2%的参与者认定为孤独，德容 - 吉尔维尔德孤独感量表将49.1%的参与者归类为中度孤独，27.1%为重度孤独。
本研究突出了年轻人中孤独感的高患病率，影响了约三分之二年龄在14 - 30岁的人群。研究结果强调了将孤独感作为公共卫生问题加以解决的重要性，尤其要关注弱势群体。需要进一步研究以制定针对青少年的有效预防、检测和干预策略，这些策略可通过初级保健和教育机构来实施。
