Loneliness and prosocial behaviors in childhood and early adolescence: examining the role of teacher–student relationship quality at school

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ABSTRACT The present study aimed to investigate the link between prosocial behaviors (PB) and feelings of loneliness during childhood and early adolescence. Specifically, we examined the association between PB and loneliness, considering the possible mediating role of teacher–student relationship quality at school. The study involved N = 458 children and early adolescents aged between 9 and 14 years (55% girls). Results from a path analysis showed that children who reported higher levels of PB tended to establish less conflictive and closer relationships with their teachers at school. In turn, less conflictive teacher–student relationships were associated with reduced feelings of loneliness. These findings may contribute to understanding the psychological correlates of loneliness during formative years.