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In the past 40 years, accumulating evidence suggested that autistic individuals are at an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This study examined the occurrence of various potential risk factors for lifetime suicidal behavior and suicidal thoughts in the past month in a Dutch cohort (Netherlands Autism Register) of autistic individuals using the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire (SBQ-R) and the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS). Our results show that the majority (80%) of the initial sample (N = 1164) had thought about or attempted suicide in their lifetime, of which 15% had attempted suicide. In the final sample (n = 421), backward linear regression analyses identified the following predictors for suicidal behavior: psychiatric comorbidity, loneliness, and higher number of autistic traits, F(3, 240) = 21.22, p < 0.001, with R[superscript 2] of 0.21. For suicidal thoughts in the past month, psychiatric comorbidity and a higher number of autistic traits were significant predictors, F(2, 241) = 20.34, p < 0.001, with R[superscript 2] of 0.14. In sum, additional risk markers for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in autistic individuals (e.g. number of autistic traits) should be considered when assessing the suicide risk in autistic individuals. Future research should focus on adapting suicide prevention interventions for autistic individuals, such as addressing loneliness as one of the intervention strategies.

Several measures have been developed to assess loneliness in the general population. Here, we examined if, and how accurately, widely-used measures capture the experience of loneliness in autistic adults. A total of 203 autistic participants from the UK completed an online survey, which included two widely-used loneliness questionnaires: the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale Version 3 and the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA). Participants completed the measures and provided their views on how well they captured their experiences of loneliness. A direct measure, asking participants how often they felt lonely, was also completed. Results demonstrated that scores on the UCLA and SELSA questionnaires positively correlated with the direct measure of loneliness, suggesting that these tools accurately index autistic experiences of loneliness. However, qualitative responses suggested that participants found both scales difficult to complete. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three themes that encapsulated participants' views: (1) failing to distinguish between the characteristics/experiences of loneliness and being autistic, (2) loneliness is not a static trait and (3) inappropriate wording. Given that our sample of autistic participants tended to prefer the UCLA scale to the SELSA, we provide initial recommendations around how the UCLA scale could be adapted for autistic adults.

This study builds on existing literature on autism spectrum disorder (autism) and sexual and gender minority (SGM) identities and is the first to examine self-declared frequency rates, associated functional impairments, and treatment engagement levels for sexual minority (SM) and non-SM populations with and without autism cross-sectionally via a large nationwide college-student sample across 3 years. Using data from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) III, we analyzed data from 81,286 college students (ages 18-25 years old) randomly selected from 75 U.S. colleges and universities. Included ACHA-NCHA-III measures consisted of self-reported demographics, SM and gender minority (GM) identities, autism diagnosis, stress, academic impairment, mental health symptoms, and treatment engagement. We found a 2.8% self-declared frequency of autism in the SM group, compared with 0.9% self-declared frequency among the non-SM sample. Autistic college students with both SM and GM identities had the greatest levels of reported adverse stress and the most negative academic and mental health outcomes (i.e., suicidality), followed by college students with two minority identities (i.e., Autism and SM, SM and GM), across all groups. These findings emphasize the need for mental healthcare providers to consider SM and GM identities in non-autistic and, especially, in autistic college students to assess suicide risk and inform treatment.

In this study, the mediating role of hopelessness in the relationship between the meaning attributed to marriage and loneliness was examined. The study group consists of 567 participants (348 male, and 219 female). Data were obtained using "Meaning Attributed to Marriage Scale", "UCLA Loneliness Scale Short Form" and "Beck Hopelessness Scale". In line of research hypothesis, the research data were analyzed using regression analysis. In addition, whether hopelessness has a statistically significant mediating effect on the relationship between the meaning attributed to marriage and loneliness was tested using the mediator model in line with the research hypotheses. In the mediator model tested, it was seen that hopelessness had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between the positive and negative meanings attributed to marriage and loneliness.

We examined the extent to which anxious attachment and avoidant attachment predicted loneliness and social self-efficacy among 863 college students. Further, we investigated whether social self-efficacy mediated the relationships between the two insecure attachment styles and loneliness. Pearson correlations and regression analysis showed that anxious and avoidant attachment styles were significant predictors of loneliness and social self-efficacy. Mediation analysis revealed that social self-efficacy fully mediated the relationship between avoidant attachment and loneliness and partially mediated the relationship between anxious attachment and loneliness. Implications for college counseling are discussed, and we propose recommendations for counselors to enhance social self-efficacy and attachment security to decrease loneliness.

Peer victimisation during school years has been found to significantly shape the way students perceive themselves and how they enter into relationships with peers, thus impacting students' current and long-term wellbeing. However, victimisation has seldom been examined in university students. The present study aimed to investigate students' current level of self-reported peer victimisation and perceived peer support and their retrospectively reported victimisation as predictors of their social self-concept and loneliness in their first year of university. First-year university students (N = 200; 26% male) participated in the study. The results indicated that retrospectively reported victimisation experiences during their years of schooling explained additional variance in social self-concept and loneliness beyond their concurrent peer experiences. These findings indicate that experiencing victimisation during school years could have consequences for students' wellbeing that are not limited to the period of primary and secondary schooling, but can persist after their transition to university. Practical implications for the promotion of mental health in the higher education context are discussed.

Digital communication is a great facilitator of human connection, positively contributing to life satisfaction and prosocial behavior. However, the existing findings also insist on the drawbacks of the digital communication, as low levels of wellbeing satisfaction, or happiness. Thus, aiming to reconciliate the two sets of assumptions and relying on the reality that textual communication is preferred to voice interaction, the present paper investigates the impact of using messaging apps on the emotional state. More specifically, the study explores if time spent texting, the general affinity towards technology, the perceived ease of use, the perceived usefulness, and the intentional behavior to use messaging applications are correlated with self-esteem, loneliness, anxiety, and wellbeing. An online opinion survey (N=147) with Romanian emerging adults is conducted between February and May 2022. The results show that a positive attitude towards technology is negatively correlated with the feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Moreover, a positive perception on the ease of use and usefulness of the messaging applications is linked with an increased wellbeing.

This research aims to examine the mediating role of social exclusion in the relationship between a sense of belonging and loneliness in international students. The research sample is composed of international students studying in universities in Türkiye. In the research, in which 284 students voluntarily participated, General Belongingness Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Social Exclusion Scale were applied. The study was designed by establishing Hayes Process Model 4 as the regression model. Sense of belonging was found to be in negative relation with social exclusion and loneliness. Moreover, a positive relationship was observed between social exclusion and loneliness. Finally, it was noticed that social exclusion acts as a mediator of the process towards belonging and loneliness and has a significant impact on loneliness. These findings were discussed within the literature framework mentioned in the conclusion part, and suggestions were made.

Objective: This study examined associations among discrimination, mask-wearing behavior, and self-harming thoughts among international students in the United States during COVID-19. Participants: Undergraduate and graduate international students enrolled in universities during the 2020 summer semester participated in the online survey (N = 103). Methods: Perceived discrimination, mask-wearing behavior, and self-harming thoughts during COVID-19 were assessed by self-reports. Multivariable logistic regressions examined the association among discrimination, mask-wearing behavior, and self-harming thoughts and explored the potential moderation effect of discrimination on the association between mask-wearing and self-harming thoughts. Results: 18.6% of participants reported self-harming thoughts. Increased discrimination was significantly associated with increased odds of self-harming thoughts. Discrimination significantly moderated the association between mask wearing and self-harming thoughts. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of increased availability of culturally appropriate mental health services for international students and the need for increased advocacy to decrease discrimination against international students in the current societal context.

Studies on the COVID-19 pandemic highlight detrimental effects of social distancing on mental health. These effects were also observed among caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who undergo particular challenges in this context. This study aimed to identify the coping strategies adopted by caregivers of people with IDD in the period of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic and their relationship to signs of mental illness. Forty-eight caregivers of people with IDD who were users of a non-governmental organization for the assistance of people with IDD and their families in southeastern Brazil undertook an on-line survey. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, multiple regression, and the word cloud technique. Results indicate that most caregivers employed healthy coping strategies and used negative words to describe their feelings towards the pandemic. Confrontation, withdrawal, self-control, social support, acceptance, and escape correlated with psychological symptoms (stress, depression, or loneliness). Those symptoms were more prevalent among participants using escape as a coping strategy. These findings indicate that caregivers of people with National Deworming Day (NDD) used mostly positive coping strategies to face the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have contributed to the low prevalence of psychological burden in this population.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to obtain valuable insights into students' engagement and experiences within the virtual learning environment, especially in the context of crises. Among the innumerable challenges people throughout the world faced during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, those of students in institutions of higher education needing to engage in online academic studies are of special interest. Using an online survey, this study could predict students' online engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic through three theoretical frameworks: the students' academic motivation to study, the Big Five personality traits, and loneliness, and with a new tool measuring the participation in the Zoom platform. Design/methodology/approach: To examine the psychological and technological factors predicting the students' engagement, this study surveyed 547 students from different academic institutions of higher learning. Findings: Findings show that the less lonely the students felt, the less neurotic they were, and the higher they scored in levels of extroversion, agreeableness, consciousnesses and openness to experience, the greater their engagement in their academic studies. In addition, students who were older, more educated, with higher intrinsic motivation and lower lack of motivation were more engaged in their online academic studies. Finally, participating in classes through the Zoom platform and experiencing it positively was a significant predictor of higher academic engagement. Originality/value: Recognizing these factors can enable educators, institutions of higher learning, counselling services and students to obtain tools for higher engagement in online learning.

Underrepresented college students, particularly those attending a predominantly White institution (PWI), face unique challenges that undermine well-being and academic performance. However, support from natural mentors may mitigate the harms caused by these challenges and promote more positive college adjustment. The current study investigated how cumulative appraisal support, emotional support, informational support, and instrumental support from up to five natural mentors during students' first year of college were related to various concurrent and longitudinal outcomes. We found that 3 out of 4 types of social support were related to more positive, concurrent psychological or academic outcomes. Based on the results, we suggest that natural mentorship during students' first year of college has the potential to set a foundation for more positive adjustment among underrepresented students.

Objective: Speculation about the effects of COVID-19, especially on youth social development, has been mixed. This study aimed to examine change in loneliness and belongingness into the first month of stay-at-home orders (January through April 2020). Participants: College students (N = 73, mean age = 19.03 years, SD = 1.44 years) enrolled in a life-span development course. Methods: Participants completed online surveys at the beginning and the end of the semester assessing change in well-being. Results: Results revealed that loneliness scores significantly decreased, and belongingness scores significantly increased from Time 1 to Time 2. Among those who experienced increased belongingness, loneliness significantly decreased while there was not a significant change in loneliness among those who decreased in belongingness. Conclusions: These findings suggest that increasing belongingness should be a focus when trying to combat loneliness, especially in young adults experiencing a dramatic life event during a critical time for social development.

Barriers to healthcare experienced by Australian autistic adults have not been previously explored. We conducted a cross-sectional investigation of barriers to healthcare and associated factors from a subtle realism perspective. Perceived barriers to healthcare were obtained from the Barriers to Healthcare Checklist Short-Form (BHC). A total of 263 autistic and 70 non-autistic individuals completed the BHC. On average, autistic adults reported more barriers to healthcare (4.58) than non-autistic adults (0.76). Gender diversity, higher levels of generalised anxiety, greater global disability and less satisfaction with social support contributed to the experience of barriers to healthcare in autistic participants in regression modelling. Australian autistic adults face substantial barriers to healthcare. Understanding these barriers provides an opportunity to develop approaches to improve access; such as co-designing a healthcare access roadmap for autistic adults, with co-designed policies and practices which advocate for the needs of autistic adults.

Objective: This study examined provisional prevalence rates of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) along with psychosocial correlates among U.S. college students during the first year of the pandemic. Participants: There were 1,793 undergraduate college student participants recruited from a public university. Methods: Using the Patient Health Questionnaire for GAD (GAD-7), a provisional diagnosis of GAD was determined and participants with GAD (N = 347;19.4%) and without GAD (N = 1446; 80.6%) were compared on stress, coping, loneliness, individual strength, pandemic concerns, and substance use behaviors. Results: Students with GAD symptomology reported significantly higher rates of perceived stress, greater loneliness, more fatigue, and more pandemic-related concerns. Further, those with GAD had a significant increase in substance use behaviors. Conclusions: It is important for college mental health providers to be aware of GAD symptomology among college students, and to further recognize the importance of early screening and detection, especially during traumatic stressor events.

Objective: This work sought to assess relationships between sexually aggressive behavior occurring through the use of technology and social media, perceived social norms of sexually aggressive behavior, and face-to-face sexual aggression and coercion. Participants: Participants were 663 undergraduate students (73.1% Female). Methods: Participants completed measures assessing perceived social norms of sexually aggressive strategies, personal sexual strategies used, alcohol use, cyberbullying, sexual victimization, personal wellbeing, and socially desirable responding. Results: Thirty percent of participants reported engaging in some form of sexually aggressive behavior offline; 15.6% endorsed engaging in sexual cyberbullying. However, 100% of participants endorsed the belief that their peers were engaging in some form of sexually aggressive behavior either online or offline. Conditional process modeling revealed a significant indirect effect of perceived social norms of sexually aggressive behavior on face-to-face sexual aggression via sexual cyberbullying (b = 0.0015, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.0030, 0.0110]), indicating mediation. Conclusions: The present work highlights the importance of further research in the domain of sexual cyberbullying.

Rooted in scholarship of social connectedness and social support, this research raises the question: Can online chatting help mitigate the negative psychological influence of physical distancing during COVID-19? By a correlational and cross-sectional research design, the current study testified the mediating role of two factors--social connectedness and perceived social support in the relationship between online chatting and three indicators of psychological well-being (happiness, self-esteem, and loneliness) for adolescents. This research demonstrated the potential of online chatting in mitigating the severity of quarantine from the supplementary perspective of online communication effects on adolescents, which provided a further insight into understanding the ways in which adolescents use media during school closure. Possible contingent factors that should be paid special attention to in future researches are discussed.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is often characterized in existing literature by deficits in social skills and communication. Due to COVID-19, a new issue has presented itself for many students--learning effectively in online education. Despite evidence suggesting many college students with autism prefer online courses, research specifically investigating the challenges these students face in emergency remote instruction is limited. Using a virtually adapted nominal group technique (NGT), this project examined the challenges students with and without autism face in emergency remote and hybrid postsecondary education and inquired about resources available to them. Themes such as struggling to form relationships, poor communication, and a need for increased accessibility emerged from the participants with (n = 8) and without (n = 11) autism. Ultimately, these findings highlight challenges that postsecondary students with and without autism are facing in emergency remote instruction and supports that would be helpful in these educational experiences.

We describe "GuysWork," a school-based healthy living program for adolescent boys, and share results from a pilot evaluation in Nova Scotia, Canada, during COVID-19. The "team" hypothesized the program would reduce loneliness, perceived stress, and adherence to key traditional male gender role norms postprogram. A longitudinal cohort pre- and postsurvey design was used. One-hundred fifty-two participants completed sections of UCLA Loneliness Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and the Meanings of Adolescent Male-Role Norms Scale (MAMS). Results were nonsignificant for loneliness and perceived stress. MAMS results were statistically significant with a medium effect size (r = -0.26) but there are limitations in the study. This pilot study of "GuysWork" has resulted in important lessons learned that will ensure a forthcoming Atlantic Canada-wide evaluation results in robust evidence with the potential to support the need for masculinity norm-changing work specifically for adolescent boys in schools.

Third Culture Kids (TCK) are generally considered to be children who spend a significant period living outside of their home country but reside only temporarily in one or more host country/ies. TCKs' upbringing, it is argued, may lead to a number of negative psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety, and identity and attachment issues. This quantitative study based on a total of 489 participants compares the self-report responses of adults who had been TCKs with those of non-TCK adults, on the measures of ethnic identity, wellbeing, loneliness, attachment, resilience, and self-concept clarity. Results indicate that TCK adults had a weaker ethnic identity, greater resilience, and were less comfortable forming close relationships than non-TCK adults. Among TCK adults, having siblings was associated with reduced attachment anxiety and greater resilience, while practising a religion was related to increased ethnic identity. Findings indicate the need to raise awareness among parents, teachers, and counsellors about the difficulties that TCKs might face.

This study investigated the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between maladaptive thinking styles and emotional expressivity. Participants were 1042 [776 (%74.5) female and 266 (%25.5) male, range age = 17-28, M age = 20.02, SD age = 1.69] young adults enrolled at university. "Berkeley Expressivity Scale" to determine their emotional expressivity, "Maladaptive Thinking Styles Scale" to determine the maladaptive thinking styles, and "UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8)" to determine their loneliness levels were used. In the study, the data were analyzed with the structural equation model. Also, the bootstrapping method was used to test the significance of the indirect effect. As a result of the structural equation model, loneliness has been found to play a partial mediating role in the relationship between maladaptive thinking styles and emotional expressivity. In other words, maladaptive thinking styles predict emotional expressivity both directly and through loneliness. Also, the result of the bootstrapping method has shown that this indirect effect is significant. The findings discussed in the context of the relevant literature and recommendations for future research given.

This study aims to examine the prediction of the mushroom-type management approach on the loneliness levels of the employees and organizational charlatan behaviors in schools. There is no study investigating the relationship between these variables and studies examining the relationship of these variables with other variables are limited. Thus, this study aimed to fill the gap in the literature. The research was designed in a relational screening model and was carried out in the province of Denizli in Turkey with 464 participants. In the research, the mushroom type management scale, UCLA loneliness scale-3, and organizational charlatan scale were used. Validity and reliability studies of the mushroom-type management scale for schools were reconstructed. UCLA loneliness scale-3 and organizational charlatan scales were adapted to Turkish by the researcher. Data were collected with the help of electronic forms. Regression analysis was carried out to determine the extent to which mushroom type management predicted teachers' organizational loneliness behaviors and teachers' organizational charlatan behaviors. Results demonstrated that mushroom management positively affects the two variables; therefore, school principals should avoid mushroom-type management behavior in order not to push his/her teacher towards charlatanism or loneliness.

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of self-esteem in university students in association with loneliness and psychological and subjective well-being. The study consisted of 340 university students, including 118 males and 222 females. The age range of participants is between 18 and 27. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Flourishing Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale were used in the study. Results of the study showed that loneliness was significantly and negatively associated with self-esteem, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being. Self-esteem was significantly and positively related to psychological well-being and subjective well-being. In this study, compared to male students, female students tended to report greater self-esteem, psychological and subjective well-being while they reported lower loneliness. Mediation analysis revealed that loneliness was a significant and negative predictor of self-esteem, psychological and subjective well-being. Self-esteem partially mediated the association between loneliness and well-being outcomes; and it significantly and positively predicted psychological wellbeing and subjective wellbeing. In university students, loneliness, and self-esteem, together, accounted for 38% of the variance in psychological well-being, while subjective well-being was 25%. Researchers can conduct new research to investigate the positive aspects of university students, and psychological counsellors working in schools can work towards strengthening the positive aspects of students.

Many autistic individuals camouflage socially atypical behaviours. Evidence suggests autistic females camouflage more than autistic males. Although camouflaging may confer some benefits, it is also associated with negative outcomes including poorer mental health and well-being. Those with high autistic traits but no clinical diagnosis are not seldom included in camouflaging research, therefore we cannot ascertain whether camouflaging plays a role in the underdiagnosis of autistic females. Data from young adults with a diagnosis of autism (n = 78), high autistic traits but no diagnosis (n = 177) or low autistic traits (n = 180) revealed autistic females reported camouflaging significantly more than other groups. Males and females with low autistic traits reported significantly lower camouflaging than high trait and diagnosed groups. Loneliness was a key predictor of camouflaging for the diagnosed group only. Camouflaging was found to predict lower psychological quality of life for the diagnosed group, and lower social quality of life for the high trait and low trait groups. Overall, findings indicated that, although all groups reported camouflaging, the motivations for doing so may be different for diagnosed autistic individuals. It is important for stakeholders and society to improve understanding of autism and acceptance of atypical behaviour to alleviate possible negative outcomes associated with camouflaging.

International students constitute an important sojourner group. This study examined the levels and predictors of loneliness among international students. The sample included 188 Angolan, 210 Cape Verdean, and 221 domestic college students who attended Portuguese institutions of higher education. The relative strengths of background and acculturation factors in loneliness, as an indicator of psychological adaptation, were explored. Results showed that international students reported greater levels of loneliness than native-born students. As expected, results showed that students who reported poorer financial situation, greater perceived discrimination, and lower home culture and host culture acculturation orientation scores reported higher loneliness. In addition, using hierarchical regression analyses, current findings suggest that the most significant predictors of loneliness for international students were financial situation, perceived discrimination, and orientation to heritage culture. Implications of these results for reducing loneliness of international students are discussed.

In this study, the model developed to investigate the relationship between emotional expressivity, loneliness and hopelessness was tested in adolescents. The sample of this study consisted of 288 high school students, 180 of whom were women and 108 of whom were men. Data were obtained using the Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire (BEQ), The Short-form of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS8) and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data. The findings obtained in this study showed that there was a negative and meaningful relationship between emotional expression and loneliness and hopelessness in adolescents, emotional expression predicted loneliness and hopelessness, and there was a positive and meaningful relationship between loneliness and hopelessness and loneliness predicts hopelessness.

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between internet addiction and loneliness levels of the gifted high school students studying at the Turkish Science and Education Center; the relationship analysis is carried out on the basis of different variables. As the goal is to present the current situation, descriptive survey model is preferred and used in the study. Internet addiction scale and UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale are used as data collection tools. Unrelated groups t-test is used while analyzing the obtained data to determine if there is a meaningful difference between internet addiction and the variables. Kruskal Wallis H test and Mann Whitney-U test are preferred to see if there is a meaningful difference between the UCLA loneliness scale and the variables. At the end of the research process, it is found that the gifted high school students studying at the Science and Art Education Center didn't have internet addiction; however, according to the findings, they experience a high level of loneliness. Finally, according to the findings of the research study, the variables of gender, daily internet use period, and parents' education level didn't cause any meaningful difference in the internet addiction level and in the loneliness state of the gifted students.

Recent literature draws attention to the fact that problematic Internet use is a growing health issue among adolescents worldwide. This study aimed to find the potential demographic, physical and psychopathological risk factors associated with severe problematic Internet use of adolescents. A total of 1,347 adolescents (45.1% males) were recruited from five high schools in three settlements. Students completed an online questionnaire and provided data about socio-demographics, physical activity, physical and psychopathological health, as well as about their Internet use habits (Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire). 1.9% of the respondents appeared to be severe, 20.4% moderate problematic Internet users. The complexity of the problem is manifested in the multifaceted relationships of factors. The multinomial regression analysis identified four significant risk factors for severe problematic internet use, namely depressive symptoms, loneliness, low level of father's education level and low level of physical activity. The real severe problematic Internet use is not so common in adolescent students, however, together with moderate problematic Internet users, this number has significance. Psychopathological factors such as elevated depressive symptoms and loneliness should be considered when preventive programs are implemented and more attention should be taken on physical activity as an effective tool against addictive behavior.

The study aimed to determine the differences between loneliness levels and leisure benefits according to the variables of university students and the effect of leisure benefits on loneliness. In the research, scanning model, which is one of the quantitative research methods, was used. The study group of the research consisted of 255 students, 148 males (58.0%) and 107 females (42.0%), studying at the School of Physical Education and Sports of Istanbul Gelisim University, and formed by voluntary participation. In addition to the personal information form, the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS) developed by Russell, Peplau, and Ferguson (1978) and adapted to Turkish by Demir (1989), and Leisure Benefit Scale (LBS) developed by Ho (2008) and adapted to Turkish by Akgül, Ertüzün, and Karakucuk (2018), were used. After the data showed normal distribution, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation Test were used in the analysis. According to the research results, a difference was found between the individuals' loneliness according to the age groups and the leisure benefits according to their gender. As a result of the research, it was concluded that as the leisure benefits of the individuals increased, their loneliness decreased.

Boarding schools are the common 'out-of-home' placements for adolescents, due to various historical, religiously orthodox, and traditional reasons and due to dysfunction within families. The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between a free versus an enforced decision to enroll in a boarding school in terms of personal well-being among emancipated graduates. Ninety alumni graduates (aged range 20-41) of out-of-home boarding schools in Israel were recruited during 2019. Participants were administered a self-report anonymous questionnaire consisting of the following measures: Free versus enforced decision to enroll in a boarding school, retrospective satisfaction with the boarding school, personal well-being and traumatic events. Results indicated that a free decision to enroll in an out-of-home boarding school was associated with current satisfaction with social relationships but not with quality of life. Additionally, the longer the period spent in a boarding school, the higher was the satisfaction from the period at school. Older graduates reported less satisfaction from school retrospectively. It was concluded that involving the adolescent in life changing decisions such as leaving home to a boarding school is likely to influence the person's well-being during and after emancipation.

Objective: This study assessed the feasibility of capturing smartphone based digital phenotyping data in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic with the goal of understanding how digital biomarkers of behavior correlate with mental health. Participants: Participants were 100 students enrolled in 4-year universities. Methods: Each participant attended a virtual visit to complete a series of gold-standard mental health assessments, and then used a mobile app for 28 days to complete mood assessments and allow for passive collection of GPS, accelerometer, phone call, and screen time data. Students completed another virtual visit at the end of the study to collect a second round of mental health assessments. Results: In-app daily mood assessments were strongly correlated with their corresponding gold standard clinical assessment. Sleep variance among students was correlated to depression scores ([rho] = 0.28) and stress scores ([rho] = 0.27). Conclusions: Digital Phenotyping among college students is feasible on both an individual and a sample level. Studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to understand population trends, but there are practical applications of the data today.

Objective: To examine prospective associations between physical and mental self-rated health (SRH), college generation status and college adjustment among first-year college students. Participants and methods: Eighty-seven first-year college students (41 first-generation college students) reported their SRH when starting college, and then, reported on psychosocial and academic adjustment and health behaviors midway through each semester. Results: Better physical and mental SRH were associated with better psychosocial adjustment in both semesters and academic adjustment in the fall but were generally not predictive of health behaviors. Specifically, better physical SRH was associated with less loneliness (fall: B = -0.192, p = 0.048; spring: B = -0.233, p = 0.008) and fewer anxiety symptoms in both semesters (fall: B = -0.236, p = 0.011; spring: B = -0.210, p = 0.014) and fewer depressive symptoms (fall: B = -0.134, p = 0.016) and more fall semester credits (B = 0.965, p = 0.002). Better mental SRH was associated with greater sense of belonging (fall: B = 0.317, p < 0.001; spring: B = 0.242, p = 0.009), less loneliness (fall: -0.210, p = 0.008; spring: B = -0.181, p = 0.012), and fewer anxiety symptoms (fall: -0.193, p = 0.011; spring: -0.195, p = 0.006) in both semesters and higher fall semester grade point average (B = 0.129, p = 0.032). Independent effects of physical and mental SRH are also discussed. Largely, college generation status did not matter for college adjustment within this sample. Conclusions: Physical and mental SRH when starting college may be important indicators of psychosocial adjustment over the first year and academic adjustment in the fall.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on all aspects of life. The physical health burden predominately impacts adults. However, the psychological burden has impacted significantly on the development and wellbeing of babies and young children. The aim of this research was to explore the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on vulnerable children (aged 0-6) and their families who were registered with a prevention and early intervention programme in an area of socio-economic disadvantage in southern Ireland. Methods: A convenience sample of 15 mothers were contacted by the staff from the multidisciplinary Infant Mental Health home visiting team. All participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Two scales, the UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale and the Parental Stress Scale were included. A focus group was conducted with the home visiting team. Results: Parental concerns for their children related to six categories: altered behaviour; lack of services; social isolation; missed school; mental health; and physical health. Concerning behaviours regarding developmental regression, feeding, self-regulation, sleep and worrying new behaviours such as repetitive hand washing were reported. 27% of families experienced hunger during lockdown and staff raised concerns regarding substandard housing. Delayed or cancelled medical appointments included speech and occupational therapy, and developmental assessment. Loneliness and isolation were issues for parents. 67% scored greater than five on the loneliness scale. The mean stress score was 44 (range 37-56). Staff raised concerns regarding maternal mental health and highlighted the lack of services for parents. Conclusion: COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable children. There is evidence of regression and issues regarding self-regulation and socio-emotional development. Lack of services and the offering of alternative appointments by phone resulted in loss of the crucial face-to-face contact with services. The pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in the early years and this is a crisis in the making.

Autistic individuals have reported lower satisfaction in their romantic relationships compared to non-autistic individuals. Previous research on the factors that contribute to relationship satisfaction within autism has focused on the characteristics of autistic participants as barriers to relationship satisfaction, while overlooking the role of their partners. This study investigated a range of factors and their association with long-term relationship satisfaction for 95 autistic individuals and 65 non-autistic individuals in current or previous long-term relationships with autistic individuals. Participants completed an online survey, including questionnaires measuring autistic traits, the Big Five personality traits, social loneliness, partner responsiveness, sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. Partner responsiveness significantly predicted relationship satisfaction for both autistic and non-autistic partners. The findings suggest that to enhance relationship satisfaction, service providers working with couples involving an autistic individual would improve the relationship by focusing on assisting their clients to identify each other's needs and how best to meet them.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed significant demands on teachers. After the state of emergency was lifted, schools reopened and teachers began teaching face-to-face classes while maintaining safety precautions. Insufficient empirical research has examined the situation of teachers since the schools reopened. This study aimed to assess the association between coping resources (resilience and social support) and psychological outcomes (loneliness, depression) among teachers using cross-sectional assessment data from 250 Israeli schoolteachers during the fifth wave of the pandemic in Israel (January 2022). The findings show that depression and loneliness were negatively associated with resilience and social support, while fear of COVID-19 was positively associated with depression and loneliness. Multiple regression models were significant, explaining 37% of the variance in depression and 29% of the variance in loneliness. Further research is needed to explore the impact of coping resources on psychological outcomes to improve teachers' emotional well-being during emergencies.

Objective: To examine the relationships between loneliness and psychosocial supports, emerging adult service utilization, and barriers to utilization. Participants: 18 to 29-year-old students enrolled in a large Midwestern University (n = 292). Methods: Online surveys were administered to all participants involving information on loneliness, social supports, basic need satisfactions, community/university service utilization, and barriers to service use. Logistic and linear regressions, analysis of variance were conducted. Results: Emerging adults were found to have a greater likelihood of service utilization when higher in social support from friends and less likely to utilize services when high in relatedness and competence need satisfaction, specifically in regard to community services. Group differences in greater barriers to service utilization were found among the highest levels of loneliness and the lowest levels of need satisfaction. Conclusion: Overall, this study indicates psychosocial supports and loneliness are related to service utilization in a nuanced manner.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic caused people to suffer from secondary problems such as social isolation and loneliness as well as experiencing anxiety about catching and spreading the virus. Existing research emphasizes the roles of cognitive flexibility and hope for psychological adjustment but the mediating and moderating mechanisms have not yet been researched widely. Therefore, this study examined whether hope mediated the relationship between loneliness and psychological adjustment problems and whether cognitive flexibility moderated this mediation effect of hope in the relationship between loneliness and psychological adjustment problems during the COVID-19 pandemic curfew in Turkey. Methods: A total of 512 Turkish students and young adults completed UCLA Loneliness Scale, Brief Psychological Adjustment Scale, Dispositional Hope Scale, and Cognitive Flexibility Inventory for this cross-sectional study. Results: The results indicated that loneliness had a significant and positive predictive effect on the psychological adjustment problems and that this relationship was partially mediated by hope. Further, psychological flexibility moderated the relationship between loneliness and hope. Conclusions: The current study contributes a better understanding of the influence of loneliness on psychological adjustment, especially during the COVID-19 curfew period.

Self-disclosure on social networking sites was found to be related to cyber victimization, loneliness, and psychological distress. However, few studies have investigated the mediating role of cyber victimization in these relationships among adolescents, especially in Vietnamese adolescents. This paper aims to investigate the indirect effect of cyber victimization on the path from self-disclosure on social networking sites to loneliness and on the path from self-disclosure to psychological distress among Vietnamese adolescents. Responses from 980 Vietnamese adolescents (M[subscript age] = 16.39, SD = 0.592) with no missing data were used for the analysis. The results indicated that: (1) cyber victimization partially mediated the link between self- disclosure and loneliness; and (2) cyber victimization fully mediated the link between self- disclosure and psychological distress. Interventions aimed at reducing the risk of cyber victimization can help reduce loneliness and psychological distress in adolescents who have self-disclosed on social networking sites.

The aim of this study is to investigate the loneliness levels of physical education teachers and determine them according to some variances. In the study, a descriptive survey method was used, which aimed at revealing the existing situation. The study group was comprised of 287 physical education teachers actively working at the state schools of Kayseri province in the 2019-2020 education year. In the study, Personal Information Form and Ucla Loneliness Scale were used as the data collection tools. SPSS program was used for the analysis of the data. Techniques of t test (independent-samples t-test) for paired comparisons and one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) for multiple comparisons were used in the research study. According to the results of the research, loneliness levels of physical education teachers were determined to be "partially low". In addition, while there was a significant difference in the loneliness levels of physical education teachers according to age, years of service, regular exercise status and school team employment; no significant difference was determined according to gender, marital status, school type and sport branch.

This study examines how family functioning, the parent-child relationship and personal factors are related to happiness in 1549 children aged 7 to 14 years old (53% females) in Italy. Children and pre-adolescents completed a set of questionnaires on self-rated happiness, self-concept and loneliness. At least one of their parents filled in questionnaires on family functioning, attachment and their child's happiness level. No gender differences were found in the direct measure of happiness, but younger participants were happier than older participants, according to both the children's and parents' evaluations. Happiness is influenced by positive self-concept, self-esteem and low levels of satisfaction but family functioning does not seem to play a major role. The clinical and social implications of the study are discussed.

Feeling of loneliness is a matter that is commonly encountered among adolescents and young adults and should be taken into consideration. This study was conducted for the purpose of determining whether or not there was a correlation between the feeling of loneliness and burnout levels in university students. The purpose of the study is to determine whether or not the feeling of loneliness of university students affects their burnout levels. The sample group of the study consisted of 376 students receiving education in Harran University Vocational School of Healthcare Services. The data were collected using a questionnaire between 01-31 May 2019. UCLA Loneliness Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory -- Student Form (MBI-SF) were applied to the study group. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis (ANOVA) in the SPSS 20.0. The acquired results show that the scales used in the study has a higher reliability. Similarly, the results of the linear regression analysis ANOVA show that the feeling of loneliness has a significant effect on burnout. In the results of the linear regression analysis ANOVA, it is found out that the feeling of loneliness has a significant effect on the sub-dimensions of burnout. With regard to the standard regression coefficient, it is expected that 1-unit increase in the feeling of loneliness variable causes 0.279-unit increase in the perception of exhaustion variable. The higher the loneliness levels of students are the more the levels of exhaustion increase.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between loneliness and smartphone addiction of students studying at the faculty of sports sciences. The study was conducted with the correlational survey method. The study group consisted of a total of 281 students, 61 females (21.7%) and 220 males (78.3%). In the study, Mobile telephone addiction scale developed by Sar, Ayas, and Horzum (2015) was used to investigate the mobile phone addiction levels of the participants. Loneliness scale developed by Demir (1989) was used to measure loneliness levels. According to the results of the study, there was no statistically significant difference between loneliness and smartphone addiction of students according to gender and academic achievement variables. On the other hand, there was a significant difference between loneliness and smartphone addiction according to the departments of the students. Looking at the relationship between loneliness and smartphone addiction levels, it was concluded that there was a statistically significant positive correlation between all sub-dimensions of smartphone addiction and smartphone addiction total score.

Smartphones provide users much more than a mobile phone. For this reason, smartphones have become very important in our lives. In this context, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of smartphone addiction on loneliness levels and academic achievement of Z generation high school students. In 2018-2019 academic year' spring semester, 490 high school students voluntarily participated to this study. As well as demographic information, Smartphone Addiction Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale were used. In the analyses of the obtained data, IBM SPSS Statistics 24 was used. The relationship between variables was analyzed using Pearson's Correlation analysis. To determine the effect of smartphone addiction on high school students' loneliness and academic achievements, linear regression analysis was used. A positive relationship between Z generation high school students' smartphone addiction and right of monthly GB usage for smartphone, daily internet usage duration, and loneliness levels was determined, whereas there was a negative correlation between their academic achievements. Moreover, it was found that smartphone addiction of Z generation high school students predicted their loneliness and academic achievement at the level of ~4% and ~1%, respectively. These results show that high school students should be saved from smartphone addiction. Thus, loneliness levels can be reduced and academic achievement can be increased.

The present study investigates the relationship between social self-efficacy, loneliness and internet addiction among Hashemite University students. It defines the level of social self-efficacy, and whether there are statistically significant differences by gender, academic specialization and academic level; and defines the levels of loneliness and internet addiction. The purposive sample consisted of (618) students at Hashemite University. The Social Self-efficacy, Loneliness and Internet Addiction Scales were used. The results show that the level of social self-efficacy was medium, with statistically significant differences in the level of social self-efficacy attributed to students by gender in favor of male students, and in the level of social self-efficacy by academic level in favor of second-year students. The level of loneliness was medium, as was the level of internet addiction. There was a negative correlation between social self-efficacy and loneliness and internet addiction, and a positive correlation between loneliness and internet addiction.

Objective: To explore the relationship between loneliness, self-efficacy, and satisfaction with life of Left-behind middle school students in China. Methods: A cluster random sampling method was used to study students from Left-behind middle schools in Binhai County of Jiangsu Province. The loneliness scale, general self-efficacy scale, and satisfaction with life scale were used to conduct questionnaire surveys. Results: Compared with non-left behind middle school students, Left-behind middle school students had higher loneliness, lower self-efficacy, and satisfaction with life. There were significant gender differences in loneliness and satisfaction with life of the two types of students. Whether to live in school or not had an insignificant impact on the loneliness and satisfaction with life of Left-behind middle school students. Loneliness had a significant negative predictive effect on the satisfaction with Left-behind middle school students' life and self-efficacy. In predicting satisfaction with life by loneliness, self-efficacy generally played a part of the mediating role, which could partially buffer the adverse effects of loneliness on student satisfaction with life. Conclusion: The mental health of left-behind middle school students should arouse the common concern of family, school and society. Try to do some intervention counseling in reducing the experience of loneliness and enhancing the sense of self-efficacy to improve their satisfaction with life and maintain a positive mental state.

There is a need for cancer-specific tools to evaluate loneliness and cancer-related negative social expectations before developing interventions for cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Cancer Loneliness and the Cancer-related Negative Social Expectations Scale. Data were collected from 300 cancer patients registered to an oncology outpatient clinic of a University Hospital for this methodological study. In the data collection, Patient Information Form, Cancer Loneliness Scale and Cancer-related Negative Social Expectations Scale and the General Loneliness Scale were used. The Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of the Cancer Loneliness Scale was found to be 0.88, Spearman-Brown correlation value was found to be 0.81, CFI, 0.98, GFI, 0.96, X[superscript 2]/SD, 2.99 and RMSEA 0.08. As for the Negative Social Expectations Scale, Cronbach alpha value was found as 0.82, Spearman-Brown correlation value 0.86, CFI 1.00, GFI 1.00, X[superscript 2]/SD 1.33 and RMSEA 0.02. The study revealed those both scales were highly reliable and indices of fit showed perfect fit. These scales are highly valid and reliable instruments for the Turkish society.

The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating effect of social connectedness on the relationship between university students' parents acceptance-rejection and loneliness. The research was carried out with the descriptive research method. The universe of the research consists of 6818 students who attend Atatürk Faculty of Education in the 2019-2020 academic year. The sample of the study was determined using the stratified sampling method. The sample of the study consists of 387 university students, 271 of whom are women (70%) and 116 of them are men (30%). The scales used are Adult Parental Acceptance-Rejection Scale - Short Form, Ucla Loneliness Scale and Social Connectedness Scale. In line with the main purpose of the study, the model proposed to explain loneliness theoretically was tested and tested by the Structural Equation Model analysis. Relationship between variables in data analysis were determined by Pearson Correlation Analysis. The findings show that the model has acceptable significance and the model is statistically confirmed. According to the verified model; it is seen that the perception of parents' acceptance/rejection in childhood has an effect on loneliness. When the mediator effect of social connectedness is examined, in the model; it appears that the mediating role of social connectedness is confirmed.

Instances of anxiety, depression, and loneliness are attaining epidemic-levels among college-age students. Self-determination theory suggests that such feelings are attributable to antagonistic situations hindering the satisfaction of an individual's basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a phenomenon that arose in the context of social media use and refers to the need to stay continually connected. Studies have shown that problematic social media and mobile technology use are related to feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness, and FOMO. Few studies have examined the relationships between these factors and academic performance. This study examines how Loneliness, FOMO, and the basic needs Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness, are related to Academic Performance. We find a positive influence of FOMO and a negative influence of Autonomy on Academic Performance. We discuss these and other findings.

The purpose of this research is to present the relationship of teenagers' internet gaming disorder (IGD) with their levels of internet addiction and loneliness, as well as to test the created model in terms of these relations. This research analyzes the predictive relationships among adolescents' IGD, internet addiction and loneliness through the statistics program in accordance with the structural equation model. The research's study group has been selected among teenage students in different schools in Ankara, during the 2018-2019 academic years using the random sampling method. Of the students, 305 are male and 101 are female. The participants were 406 students (males = 75.12%, female = 24.87%, Mage = 15.63 years, SDage = 1.11) aged between 14 and 18 years. The variables predicting IGD are internet addiction (ß = 0.54) and loneliness (ß = 0.11). Additionally, loneliness significantly predicts internet addiction (ß = 0.24, p <0.01).

Isolation has affected the quality of the work experience for employees in education for decades. This study explores the role that isolation plays in impacting the quality of the work experience among new principals. Building on recent studies, the analysis tests whether isolation serves as a mediator in the relationship between factors that are known to affect the work experience of principals (social support; role ambiguity, role overload; administrative experience; and participation in a structured coaching relationship), as independent variables, and persistence of new principals. We find some support for this mediating effect, and support for the role of isolation as a predictor of persistence.