| dc.description.abstract | Previous work shows that loneliness is temporary for most, but enduring for others. For those
individuals, loneliness can have detrimental outcomes, such as decreased well-being and poor
sleep quality. However, it remains unclear for whom loneliness is temporary and for whom
loneliness endures. The current study used data from the Youth Got Talent (YGT) project to
investigate loneliness over a period of six months and whether adolescents with conduct
problems are more vulnerable to enduring loneliness using a two-wave longitudinal design.
This study advances previous work by identifying a possible vulnerable group for enduring
loneliness. A linear regression analysis was conducted and the final sample consisted of 560
Dutch MBO students aged 16-24 (M = 17.04 years, SD = 1.41, 57% female). The results
show that, in line with the first hypothesis, loneliness in the first wave is a strong and positive
predictor of loneliness in the second wave. However, contrary to the second hypothesis, no
significant interaction effect between loneliness (Wave 1) and conduct problems was found.
This suggests that the current study did not find evidence that adolescents with conduct
problems are more vulnerable to enduring loneliness. Future research could further explore
underlying mechanisms in adolescents with conduct problems in relation to enduring
loneliness, such as negative cognitive biases. This way, key elements for interventions
targeting enduring loneliness can be identified. | |
