Societal Factors in Youth Loneliness
Nov 12, 2025
A new study lead by researchers at the University of Washington School of Health shows how societal factors can influence lonelieness in young people. The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, looked at how youth’s answers to loneliness questions in an international survey have changed from 2000 to 2022. With data points from over one million youth representing 38 countries, they found that loneliness has been increasing across many regions, with the largest increase between 2012 to 2015, and the second largest from 2015 to 2022. “Regardless of the pandemic, loneliness has been an issue on the rise,” said Sophie Freije, epidemiology doctoral candidate at the University of Washington School of Public Health.
A new study lead by researchers at the University of Washington School of Health shows how societal factors can influence lonelieness in young people. The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, looked at how youth’s answers to loneliness questions in an international survey have changed from 2000 to 2022. With data points from over one million youth representing 38 countries, they found that loneliness has been increasing across many regions, with the largest increase between 2012 to 2015, and the second largest from 2015 to 2022. “Regardless of the pandemic, loneliness has been an issue on the rise,” said Sophie Freije, epidemiology doctoral candidate at the University of Washington School of Public Health.