Loneliness as Experienced by Adolescents and Emerging Adults : Connections to Mental Health During Educational Transitions
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Background: Loneliness is a complex multifaceted phenomenon that closely interacts with mental health. Loneliness is most prevalent among adolescents and emerging adults. In addition to this, most mental disorders emerge in childhood, adolescence and emerging adulthood, with recent trends showing increased rates of loneliness and mental health disorders. Challenges tend to appear across educational transitions due to the disruptions they evoke in social relationships, routines, and behaviors. Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was twofold. First, to examine experiences of loneliness by adolescents and emerging adults in the educational contexts, and second, to examine how and in what way loneliness may be related to or influenced by educational transitions and mental health outcomes in these target populations. Methods: To address the objectives, the research compromised two main components. The first was a synthesis of existing research examining loneliness and its relation to educational transitions and mental health among adolescents and emerging adults on a global scale (SI). The second objective was to conduct two qualitative studies (SII, SIII) exploring potential mechanisms linking loneliness, educational transitions, and mental health within the Finnish school setting. Individual interviews with emerging adults (SII) and focus group interviews with professionals engaged with adolescents and emerging adults (16–29) in a range of school-associated professions (SIII) was conducted. Data was analyzed with thematic analysis (SI), qualitative content analysis (SII), and reflexive thematic analysis (SIII). Results: Loneliness was experienced although having wide social networks or groups of friends and was perceived as being intertwined with mental health. In terms of educational transitions, positive experiences included looking forward to new experiences, however, they could also be difficult to navigate due to social, academic, and structural concerns. Students who report additional support needs, mental illnesses, or have had previous negative experiences, face greater challenges in adapting to educational transitions. The school system was seen as being misaligned with developmental needs, and was regarded as inadequate in fostering skills, feelings of competence, and self-esteem. Those with additional support needs might also be overlooked across educational transitions due to confidentiality constraints, leaving disclosure about challenges up to caregivers or students themselves. Educational transitions often lead to a changed social network (friends, family, teachers, peers) which can contribute to loneliness and mental health issues. Being separated from friends, family, romantic partners, and having to find new friends or social networks was regarded as difficult, leading to experiencing emotional turmoil. Moreover, the pressure of contemporary society and demands to excel across multiple domains builds early through exams, grades, and societal expectations of success, leading to early signs of burnout which persist in higher education. Social media further exacerbates this pressure. Discussion: Although young people are more connected through social media or digital communication, they more often report not having a close person, which might be attributed to diminished face-to-face social connections and interactions. Social media might amplify social comparisons and thereby heighten feelings of loneliness. This is especially concerning since adolescence and emerging adulthood constitute developmental periods when social life is highly idealized, with expectations for extensive networks and relationships, increasing the vulnerability to comparison through social media. Educational transitions seem to disrupt micro- and mesosystems by altering interpersonal relationships with peers, family and teachers, but also relationships between school-home environments. Educational transitions that disrupt social networks might be especially demanding during adolescence and emerging adulthood, since they constitute periods marked by increased reliance on peer relationships, intimacy needs, and vulnerability to social exclusion. Higher education transitions seem to be more demanding than transitions to upper secondary education. Since most move to another city to pursue higher education, students need to rely more on their own resources and have access to less structured support systems provided by families, institutions, and even health services. Those with adequate social and personal resources have an advantage of navigating this period more successfully, while those who suffer from mental illnesses, low support networks, or other negative experiences may face additional challenges in adapting to the transition. Current institutional practices fail to provide adequate continuity of support, leaving vulnerable students without assistance. Furthermore, emerging adulthood can be considered a pivotal stage across the life course in terms of employment, career trajectories, and long-term economic security; failing to navigate this period successfully might therefore set them in a trajectory that affects their adult lives negatively. In addition, today’s economic restructuring, technological advancements, and changes in labor market have further impacted the risks and opportunities for emerging adults. Fostering feelings of competence and increasing resources through early promotion and interventions are critical for optimal developmental trajectories. Promotion should therefore start at primary level, as early as possible. Conclusions: As most loneliness research has focused on the elderly, more research among younger populations is warranted to ensure more proper and standardized tools. Overall, educational transitions represent critical periods that may shape trajectories in health, relationships, and future opportunities. To mitigate negative outcomes, institutions should prioritize early promotion at primary level, early identification of students at risk, strengthening collaboration between educational settings and professionals who work with these target groups, and implementing strategies that foster social belonging and psychological resilience. Moreover, qualitative longitudinal research should examine educational transitions to capture how they are experienced.
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7154801340