Social Disconnectedness, Loneliness, and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Danish High Schools: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
Background: Previous research has suggested that social disconnectedness experienced at school is linked to mental health problems, however, more research is needed to investigate (1) whether the accumulation of various types of social disconnectedness is associated with risk for mental health probl...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-04-01
|
Series: | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.632906/full |
id |
doaj-e7a62634960d4688a193eced7dc1e856 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-e7a62634960d4688a193eced7dc1e8562021-04-13T15:25:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532021-04-011510.3389/fnbeh.2021.632906632906Social Disconnectedness, Loneliness, and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Danish High Schools: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional StudyZiggi Ivan Santini0Veronica S. C. Pisinger1Line Nielsen2Katrine Rich Madsen3Malene Kubstrup Nelausen4Ai Koyanagi5Ai Koyanagi6Vibeke Koushede7Sue Roffey8Sue Roffey9Lau C. Thygesen10Charlotte Meilstrup11The National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkParc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Dr. Antoni Pujadas, 42, Barcelona, SpainInstitució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkEducational Psychology, University College London, London, United KingdomSchool of Education, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, AustraliaThe National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkBackground: Previous research has suggested that social disconnectedness experienced at school is linked to mental health problems, however, more research is needed to investigate (1) whether the accumulation of various types of social disconnectedness is associated with risk for mental health problems, and (2) whether loneliness is a mechanism that explains these associations.Methods: Using data from the Danish National Youth Study 2019 (UNG19), nation-wide cross-sectional data from 29,086 high school students in Denmark were analyzed to assess associations between social disconnectedness experienced at school (lack of classmate support, lack of teacher support, lack of class social cohesion, and not being part of the school community) and various mental health outcomes, as well as the mediating role of loneliness for each type of disconnectedness. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations.Results: Descriptive analyses suggest that 27.5% of Danish high school students experience at least one type of social disconnectedness at school. Each type of social disconnectedness was positively associated with mental health problems (depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, stress, sleep problems, suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury, eating disorder, body dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem) and negatively associated with mental well-being. In all cases, loneliness significantly mediated the associations. We found a clear dose-response pattern, where each addition in types of social disconnectedness was associated with (1) stronger negative coefficients with mental well-being and (2) stronger positive coefficients with mental health problems.Conclusion: Our results add to a large evidence-base suggesting that mental health problems among adolescents may be prevented by promoting social connectedness at school. More specifically, fostering social connectedness at school may prevent loneliness, which in turn may promote mental well-being and prevent mental health problems during the developmental stages of adolescence. It is important to note that focusing on single indicators of school social connectedness/disconnectedness would appear to be insufficient. Implications for practices within school settings to enhance social connectedness are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.632906/fulladolescencesocial connectednesslonelinessmental healthwell-being |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Ziggi Ivan Santini Veronica S. C. Pisinger Line Nielsen Katrine Rich Madsen Malene Kubstrup Nelausen Ai Koyanagi Ai Koyanagi Vibeke Koushede Sue Roffey Sue Roffey Lau C. Thygesen Charlotte Meilstrup |
spellingShingle |
Ziggi Ivan Santini Veronica S. C. Pisinger Line Nielsen Katrine Rich Madsen Malene Kubstrup Nelausen Ai Koyanagi Ai Koyanagi Vibeke Koushede Sue Roffey Sue Roffey Lau C. Thygesen Charlotte Meilstrup Social Disconnectedness, Loneliness, and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Danish High Schools: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience adolescence social connectedness loneliness mental health well-being |
author_facet |
Ziggi Ivan Santini Veronica S. C. Pisinger Line Nielsen Katrine Rich Madsen Malene Kubstrup Nelausen Ai Koyanagi Ai Koyanagi Vibeke Koushede Sue Roffey Sue Roffey Lau C. Thygesen Charlotte Meilstrup |
author_sort |
Ziggi Ivan Santini |
title |
Social Disconnectedness, Loneliness, and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Danish High Schools: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study |
title_short |
Social Disconnectedness, Loneliness, and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Danish High Schools: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study |
title_full |
Social Disconnectedness, Loneliness, and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Danish High Schools: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study |
title_fullStr |
Social Disconnectedness, Loneliness, and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Danish High Schools: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Social Disconnectedness, Loneliness, and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Danish High Schools: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study |
title_sort |
social disconnectedness, loneliness, and mental health among adolescents in danish high schools: a nationwide cross-sectional study |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
issn |
1662-5153 |
publishDate |
2021-04-01 |
description |
Background: Previous research has suggested that social disconnectedness experienced at school is linked to mental health problems, however, more research is needed to investigate (1) whether the accumulation of various types of social disconnectedness is associated with risk for mental health problems, and (2) whether loneliness is a mechanism that explains these associations.Methods: Using data from the Danish National Youth Study 2019 (UNG19), nation-wide cross-sectional data from 29,086 high school students in Denmark were analyzed to assess associations between social disconnectedness experienced at school (lack of classmate support, lack of teacher support, lack of class social cohesion, and not being part of the school community) and various mental health outcomes, as well as the mediating role of loneliness for each type of disconnectedness. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations.Results: Descriptive analyses suggest that 27.5% of Danish high school students experience at least one type of social disconnectedness at school. Each type of social disconnectedness was positively associated with mental health problems (depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, stress, sleep problems, suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury, eating disorder, body dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem) and negatively associated with mental well-being. In all cases, loneliness significantly mediated the associations. We found a clear dose-response pattern, where each addition in types of social disconnectedness was associated with (1) stronger negative coefficients with mental well-being and (2) stronger positive coefficients with mental health problems.Conclusion: Our results add to a large evidence-base suggesting that mental health problems among adolescents may be prevented by promoting social connectedness at school. More specifically, fostering social connectedness at school may prevent loneliness, which in turn may promote mental well-being and prevent mental health problems during the developmental stages of adolescence. It is important to note that focusing on single indicators of school social connectedness/disconnectedness would appear to be insufficient. Implications for practices within school settings to enhance social connectedness are discussed. |
topic |
adolescence social connectedness loneliness mental health well-being |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.632906/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT ziggiivansantini socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT veronicascpisinger socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT linenielsen socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT katrinerichmadsen socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT malenekubstrupnelausen socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT aikoyanagi socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT aikoyanagi socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT vibekekoushede socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT sueroffey socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT sueroffey socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT laucthygesen socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy AT charlottemeilstrup socialdisconnectednesslonelinessandmentalhealthamongadolescentsindanishhighschoolsanationwidecrosssectionalstudy |
_version_ |
1721528736492290048 |