Loneliness In Children Research Articles

Interventions to reduce loneliness in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Despite the growing focus on adolescent loneliness and loneliness interventions, our understanding of successful approaches for tackling loneliness in childhood and adolescence remains limited. While recent reviews have made advances in exploring loneliness interventions for this age group, our understanding of successful approaches remains limited. Key knowledge gaps persist, particularly concerning potential moderators - specifically, the characteristics that may determine the effectiveness of an intervention is sparse, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of which interventions are most effective and for whom. This presentation aims to fill this gap by presenting the findings of a systematic review and meta-analysis on interventions to reduce loneliness in children and adolescents. The presentation will provide a brief overview of the methodology employed and provide insights into the characteristics of the interventions reviewed, including an assessment of their overall effectiveness in alleviating loneliness. The primary focus, however, will be on presenting findings regarding the effectiveness of interventions across different participant groups, including variations based on socio-economic status, age group, pre-existing mental and physical health conditions, as well as baseline levels of loneliness. Additionally, the presentation will explore the impact of different intervention strategies on the effectiveness of loneliness interventions for children and adolescents. Lastly, the presentation will offer reflections on avenues for future research and practice based on the findings.

Predicting the Risk of Loneliness in Children and Adolescents: A Machine Learning Study.

Loneliness is increasingly emerging as a significant public health problem in children and adolescents. Predicting loneliness and finding its risk factors in children and adolescents is lacking and necessary, and would greatly help determine intervention actions. This study aimed to find appropriate machine learning techniques to predict loneliness and its associated risk factors among schoolchildren. The data were collected from an ongoing prospective puberty cohort that was established in Chongqing, Southwest China. This study used 822 subjects (46.84% boys, age range: 11-16) followed in 2019. Five models, (a) random forest, (b) extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), (c) logistic regression, (d) neural network, and (e) support vector machine were applied to predict loneliness. A total of 39 indicators were collected and 28 predictors were finally included for prediction after data pre-processing, including demographic, parental relationship, mental health, pubertal development, behaviors, and environmental factors. Model performance was determined by accuracy and AUC. Additionally, random forest and XGBoost were applied to identify the important factors. The XGBoost algorithm with SHAP was also used to interpret the results of our ML model. All machine learning performed with favorable accuracy. Compared to random forest (AUC: 0.87 (95%CI: 0.80, 0.93)), logistic regression (AUC: 0.80 (95%CI: 0.70, 0.89)), neural network (AUC: 0.80 (95%CI: 0.71, 0.89)), and support vector machine (AUC: 0.79 (95%CI: 0.79, 0.89)), XGBoost algorithm had the highest AUC values 0.87 (95%CI: 0.80, 0.93) in the test set, although the difference was not significant between models. Peer communication, index of general affect, peer alienation, and internet addiction were the top four significant factors of loneliness in children and adolescents. The results of this study suggest that machine learning has considerable potential to predict loneliness in children. This may be valuable for the early identification and intervention of loneliness.

Developmental Bibliotherapy with Extremely Shy Children

Extremely shy children may find themselves somehow isolated from society and feel alone. This may cause them to experience different problems at home, at school and in the community. If this situation continues in the following years, the difficulties they experience in life will increase and the probability of their emergence as mental problems such as childhood loneliness, social anxiety disorders, depression and anxiety disorders that negatively affect their quality of life will increase. Thus, it is important to intervene in childhood shyness, social isolation, loneliness, and behavioral inhibition in order to eliminate possible problems that may be experienced in childhood and at the same time to prevent the continuation of the situation in adolescence and adulthood. Developmental bibliotherapy can be used in the context of both prevention and early intervention studies for shyness in early childhood with extremely shy children. In this context, the aim of this study is to provide an in-depth perspective on the concepts of extreme shyness and bibliotherapy, and to present an example of a developmental bibliotherapy session that can be experienced with extremely shy children who are between five to eight years old in early childood period and a sample book list that can be used in the sessions.."

Temperamental Shyness, Peer Competence, and Loneliness in Middle Childhood: The Role of Positive Emotion.

Guided by the conceptual frameworks of social withdrawal (Rubin, K. H., & Chronis-Tuscano, A. (2021). Perspectives on social withdrawal in childhood: Past, present, and prospects. Child Development Perspectives, 15(3), 160-167.) and emotion socialization (Eisenberg, N., Cumberland, A., & Spinrad, T. L. (1998). Parental socialization of emotion. Psychological Inquiry, 9, 241-273.; Morris, (A) S., Criss, M. M., Silk, J. S., & Houltberg, (B) J. (2017). The impact of parenting on emotion regulation during childhood and adolescence. Child Development Perspectives, 11(4), 233-238.), the current study examined multifaceted relations among temperamental shyness, peer competence, and loneliness and focused on the role of socializing and expressing positive emotion in middle childhood. Participants included 1,364 families, among whom mothers reported children's temperament when children were 4.5 years old. Mothers and alternative caregivers (usually fathers) independently rated family expressiveness when children were 8-9 years old. Mothers rated their children's peer competence, and children's positive affect with peers were observed when children were ages 8-9 and 10-11. Children self-rated their loneliness levels at ages 10-11. A path model revealed a moderated mediation effect, such that family positive expressiveness moderated the sequential mediation pathway from child temperamental shyness through child peer competence at ages 8-9 and positive affect with peers at ages 10-11 to loneliness at ages 10-11. This sequential mediation was significant only under low but not high levels of family positive expressiveness. Findings support the importance of socializing positive emotion in the context of temperamental shyness and have implications for family-based intervention strategies aimed at children exhibiting high temperamental shyness.

Developmental trajectories of loneliness in Chinese children: Environmental and personality predictors

BackgroundThis study aimed to identify the developmental trajectories of loneliness in Chinese children and examine the predictive roles of domain-specific environmental factors (i.e., family dysfunction and satisfaction of relatedness needs at school), personality factors (i.e., neuroticism and extraversion), and their interactions in these developmental trajectories. MethodsA total of 702 Chinese children (Mage = 8.95, SD = 0.76; 54.1 % boys) participated in assessments at six time points over three years at six-month intervals. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to estimate trajectory classes for loneliness, followed by multivariate logistic regression analyses exploring associations between these classes and predictors. ResultsGMM analyses identified three distinct trajectories of loneliness: “low-stable” (81.5 %), “moderate-increasing” (9.4 %), and “high-decreasing” (9.1 %). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that family dysfunction and neuroticism served as risk factors for adverse loneliness trajectories, while satisfaction of relatedness needs at school and extraversion acted as protective factors. Furthermore, the interaction between family dysfunction and extraversion indicated that extraversion did not mitigate the adverse effects of high family dysfunction on children's loneliness, emphasizing the vital need to support positive family functioning among all children. LimitationsThis study did not incorporate biological variables (e.g., genetics), which are crucial in the evolutionary theory of loneliness. ConclusionsThe identification of three distinct trajectory groups of children's loneliness, along with key environmental and personality predictors, suggests that interventions should be tailored to each group's unique characteristics.

Effects of Empathy on Loneliness Among Rural Left-Behind Children in China: The Chain-Mediated Roles of Social Anxiety and Psychological Resilience.

Loneliness is a prevalent issue among rural left-behind children in China, adversely affecting their physical and mental well-being, as well as social stability. However, the influencing factors and potential mechanisms of loneliness have not yet been fully clarified. This study aims to validate the mediating roles of social anxiety and psychological resilience by examining the association between affective/cognitive empathy and loneliness among Chinese rural left-behind children. This cross-sectional survey employed a convenience sampling approach among Chinese left-behind children. A total of 540 participants aged 6 to 11 years old (Average age = 8.54, SD = 1.682) from 3 primary schools in Hunan Province completed the Children's Loneliness Scale, Social Anxiety Scale for Children, The Chinese version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Basic Empathy Scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0, Origin 2020, and Mplus 8.3. Pearson correlation analyses suggested strong significant correlations among affective/cognitive empathy, loneliness, social anxiety, and psychological resilience. Path analyses indicated that the chain mediation effect size of social anxiety and psychological resilience was 0.016 between affective empathy and loneliness, while the chain mediation effect size between cognitive empathy and loneliness was -0.011. Affective empathy positively correlates with loneliness among Chinese left-behind children through social anxiety and resilience, while cognitive empathy negatively correlates with loneliness. These findings suggest that left-behind children should enhance their cognitive empathy and psychological resilience to reduce their social anxiety, thereby mitigating their loneliness.

Impact of Intergenerational Shokuiku (Food and Nutrition Education) Programs on Alleviating Loneliness in Japanese Communities across Ages.

As loneliness is a risk factor for mental and physical health problems in various age groups, this study aimed to explore the impact of the intergenerational Shokuiku (food and nutrition education) program (IGSP) on loneliness in a Japanese community. This single-arm intervention study conducted between 2022 and 2023 included children (n = 21), guardians (n = 16), university students (n = 3), and older adults (n = 6). The IGSP was a one-day program that included participants making and eating their own bread, butter, and sorbet. Loneliness was measured using the Five-item Loneliness Scale for Children (Five-LSC; Japanese) and the three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (Japanese; for adults) with other direct questions. Social capital, including civic participation, social cohesion, and reciprocity, was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The Five-LSC score significantly decreased post-intervention (p = 0.04). There was a significant increase in adults who reported not feeling lonely (p = 0.001). However, the UCLA Loneliness Scale scores did not show any significant changes. A positive change in social cohesion, including community contribution (p = 0.001) and attachment (p = 0.002), was observed among adults. This study suggests that IGSPs have a positive impact on loneliness in children and a partly positive one in adults. These findings emphasize the potential of intergenerational programs to reduce loneliness in communities.

Correlates of loneliness and dissatisfaction following SARS pandemic lockdown: Child and parent perspective.

Background Studying loneliness among children is important because it causes much social pain and is considered to be a risk factor for many mental and physical problems. Methods We did an online survey between July and September 2020 among students and their parents from a cluster of government and private schools chosen from north, south, east and west of Chandigarh. The survey consisted of child and parent versions of the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire, Parent-Child Relationship (PCR) Questionnaire and Conflict Behaviour Questionnaire SF. Parental distress was assessed using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21. Results The majority of children and parent participants reported high loneliness and dissatisfaction among children. A significant positive association was found between children and parent reported loneliness and dissatisfaction, and between child reported PCR and parent perception of PCR. A child's appraisal of her loneliness had a significant negative association with depression among parents. Parent's perception of child loneliness and dissatisfaction was negatively associated with PCR and parental anxiety. High loner boys reported poor quality of relationship and more conflicts with their parents than girls. Children who share cordial relations with their parents had fewer conflicts and also scored low on loneliness. Conclusion These results suggest that the issue of loneliness and dissatisfaction among children has attained epidemic proportions in the Covid-19 era, and active interventions are needed to safeguard the mental health of children. Our study emphasizes the need to plan guidance strategies with a joint effort of schools and families to strengthen within family relations of children.

Творче конструювання особистості в автобіографічній повісті (на матеріалі творів «Хризантеми» Уляни Кравченко та «Десь на дні мого серця» Василя Лопати)

The article analyzes the tools of creative personality construction in two autobiographical novels, Chrysanthemums by by Ulyana Kravchenko and Somewhere at the Bottom of My Heart by Vasyl Lopata, and the thematic and narrative features of these works, as well as the importance of including documentary elements in the plot, are clarified. It is determined that the tools that helped to depict the formation of the author's creative personality in an autobiographical story were a distanced view of oneself, both in appearance and in the inner world, the use of humor, and emphasis on important stages. There is a difference in the narrative style – Ulyana Kravchenko focuses on the goal of developing intellectually since childhood, evaluates herself according to her readiness to serve the people, to form herself according to artistic laws, so the plot is often interrupted by lyrical inserts and reflections, although she simultaneously supplements it with historical and portrait essays. He compensates for his silence and loneliness in childhood by realizing it in music and his first attempts at writing, and explains the lack of words already when writing his memoirs by his own emotionality, creating an aura of mystery and understatement. V. Lopata introduces the main narrator into the story for a different purpose: to provide textual explanations, comment on the narrator-child's story, and express a short future continuation of the described events, the author much less often focuses on the process of recollection itself, having clearly defined for himself its purpose: to find out the origins of his own creative formation, which has already taken place (Ulyana Kravchenko writes about it as a process). The fragment of the diary, introduced into the textual space of the work, demonstrates the naivety and vulnerability of the protagonist in the conditions of orphanhood and war, and shows the boy's tendency to perceive even everyday events deeply in order to later convey them in his work. Through the adult narrator, the childhood traumas are closed and «liberation» from the described situations of childhood powerlessness is projected into the future.

Predictors of loneliness among middle childhood and adolescence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social contexts (e.g., family, friends) are important in predicting and preventing loneliness in middle childhood (MC) and adolescence; however, these social contexts were disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparison of social context factors that may differentially contribute to loneliness at each developmental stage (MC vs. adolescence) during the COVID-19 pandemic have been overlooked. This study examined longitudinal predictors of loneliness, including social contexts and COVID-19 impact, within MC (8-12y) and adolescence (13-17y). Parents reported on demographic information, and their children completed surveys on COVID-19 impact, loneliness, and family functioning using the COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Survey (CEFIS), the NIH Toolbox Loneliness (Ages 8-17) measure, and the PROMIS Family Relationships Short Form 4a measure, respectively. Regression models examined time one (T1; May-June 2020) predictors of time two (T2; November 2020-January 2021) MC child (n=92, Mage=10.03) and adolescent (n=56, Mage=14.66) loneliness. For the MC child model, significant predictors of higher loneliness included worse family functioning as well as higher COVID-19 impact and lower family income. On the other hand, higher adolescent loneliness was significantly predicted by not having married/partnered parents and was marginally significantly predicted by higher COVID-19 impact. The regression model with the full sample and interaction terms revealed no significant interactions, but that lower family functioning and higher COVID-19 impact were significant predictors of higher loneliness. Lower family income and lower in-person communication were marginally significant predictors of higher loneliness in the combined interaction model. Lastly, further exploratory mediation analyses displayed that family functioning significantly mediated the relationship between COVID-19 impact and T2 loneliness only for MC children and the full sample. Results support future interventions focused on optimizing family functioning to help mitigate MC loneliness in the context of adversity, such as a global pandemic.

Perceived Loneliness in Children with and without Type 1 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Perceived Loneliness in Children with and without Type 1 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study

The relationships of neuropsychological factors and loneliness preference in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and cognitive disengagement syndrome

This study aimed to examine emotion dysregulation and internalizing disorders mediating the relationship between selective and sustained attention and loneliness preference in children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS). This study included 176 children and adolescents between ages 8 and 12. The solitude scale for children, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Child Behavior Checklist, Barkley Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Scale, and CNS Vital Signs test were used. The results suggest that difficulties in emotion regulation and having an internalizing disorder had a mediating effect between difficulties in selective attention and preference for the loneliness of children with ADHD + CDS. Also, it was likely that the association between sustained attention and preference for loneliness is mediated by internalizing disorders. The results suggest that the social problems commonly exhibited by children with ADHD + CDS may be related to deficits in sustained and selective attention.

The CLoCk study: A retrospective exploration of loneliness in children and young people during the COVID-19 pandemic, in England.

During the COVID-19 pandemic children and young people (CYP) were socially restricted during a stage of life crucial to development, potentially putting an already vulnerable population at higher risk of loneliness, social isolation, and poorer wellbeing. The objectives of this study are to conduct an exploratory analysis into loneliness before and during the pandemic, and determine which self-reported factors are associated with loneliness. Participants from The Children with Long COVID (CLoCk) national study were invited to take part via an online survey, with a total of 31,017 participants taking part, 31,016 of which reported on their experience of loneliness. Participants retrospectively answered questions on demographics, lifestyle, physical health and mental health and loneliness before the pandemic and at the time of answering the survey. Before the pandemic 6.5% (2,006/31,016) of participants reported experiencing loneliness "Often/Always" and at the time of survey completion 17.4% (5,395/31,016) reported feeling lonelier. There was an association between meeting the research definition of long COVID and loneliness [3.49 OR, 95%CI 3.28-3.72]. CYP who reported feeling lonelier at the time of the survey than before the pandemic were assigned female at birth, older CYP, those from Black/African/Caribbean/Black British or other ethnicity groups, those that had 3-4 siblings and lived in more deprived areas. We demonstrate associations between multiple factors and experiences of loneliness during the pandemic. There is a need for a multi-faceted integrated approach when developing interventions targeted at loneliness. It is important to follow up the CYP involved at regular intervals to investigate the progression of their experience of loneliness over time.

Peer relationships mediate the pathways from behavioral qualities to United States and Chinese children's loneliness.

Loneliness is a perceived deficit in social relationships that is nested within broader cultural meaning systems. This longitudinal study examined predictors of loneliness in Chinese and U.S. children with the hypothesis that peer relationship parameters (number of friends, social preference, and popularity) mediate the associations between behavior qualities and loneliness differently across countries. Fifth-grade Chinese (n = 576, Mage = 10.58 years) and U.S. (White, Black, Asian, n = 540; Mage = 10.23 years) children completed two waves of assessment within an academic year. Shyness and athletic competence more strongly predicted loneliness for U.S. children, and academic ability, and aggression more strongly predicted loneliness for Chinese children. Popularity was a mediator for U.S. children but not Chinese children.

Linking social relationships at school, loneliness, and academic self-perceptions among primary school children

The present study investigated a theoretical model of the direct and indirect links between children's social relationships at school (i.e., relationships with teachers, peer victimization), loneliness, and academic self-perceptions. Participants were N = 666 primary school children (352 girls) aged 7–11 years (Mage = 8.90 years, SD = 1.06), who completed an online questionnaire. Path analyses indicated that less close teacher–child relationships and higher peer victimization were related to children's loneliness, which, in turn, was associated with less positive academic self-perceptions. Results also revealed some moderating effects of gender. The findings highlight the potentially critical role played by loneliness in determining the association between social relationships at primary school and children's academic self-perceptions.

The Effectiveness of Play Therapy Combined With a Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Trauma Symptoms and the Loneliness Feeling

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of play therapy combined with a traumatic cognitive-behavioral approach on the symptoms of trauma and the feeling of loneliness of the victims of sexual abuse. Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population comprised all sexually-abused Afghan girls. Of whom 20 individuals were selected using the available sampling method. To conduct the questionnaire, the experimental and control group participants were examined before and after the experiment. Data were collected using Asher and Wheeler’s child trauma symptoms scale and the child loneliness scale presented by Foa et al. The assessment program consisted of 14 sessions for the treatment group, and the control group did not receive any intervention. Finally, the collected data were analyzed using covariance analysis. Results: By controlling the effect of the pre-test, a significant difference was observed between the mean scores of participants’ trauma symptoms and the mean scores of participants’ loneliness in terms of group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results revealed that the play therapy combined with the cognitive-behavioral trauma-oriented treatment resulted in reduced trauma symptoms but not loneliness in these children.

Einsamkeit im Kindes- und Jugendalter. Zur Verbreitung eines Risikofaktors für die psychische Gesundheit unter 11- bis 15-jährigen deutschen Schülerinnen und Schülern

ZusammenfassungHintergrundEinsamkeit ist sowohl im öffentlichen als auch im wissenschaftlichen Diskurs ein zunehmend präsentes Thema. Es liegen inzwischen zahlreiche Forschungsergebnisse zur Verbreitung und zu den gesundheitsbezogenen Zusammenhängen von Einsamkeit bei Erwachsenen vor. Zur Einsamkeit im Kindes- und Jugendalter gibt es für Deutschland nur wenige Erkenntnisse. Vor diesem Hintergrund stellt dieser Beitrag Befunde zur Verbreitung von Einsamkeit bei 11- bis 15-jährigen deutschen Schüler*innen vor und untersucht Zusammenhänge mit soziodemographischen Merkmalen.MethodenDie Studie „Health Behaviour in School-aged Children“ (HBSC) ist eine globale Forschungskooperation unter Schirmherrschaft der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO). In Brandenburg erfasste die Studie Daten von 3819 Kindern und Jugendlichen an allgemeinbildenden Schulen in den Klassenstufen 5, 7 und 9 (MAlter = 13,5, SD = 1,6). Einsamkeit wurde anhand der University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale und eines Einzelitems erhoben.Ergebnisse13,2 % der Befragten gaben an, sich „meistens“ einsam zu fühlen, „immer“ einsam fühlten sich 3,6 %. Einsamkeit war stärker ausgeprägt bei Mädchen, bei Schüler*innen mit der Geschlechtszuschreibung „divers“ sowie bei älteren Heranwachsenden und bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit niedrigerem sozioökonomischen Status.DiskussionDie Befunde weisen darauf hin, dass Einsamkeit bei Kindern und Jugendlichen ein weit verbreitetes Phänomen ist. Dass sich Mädchen, ältere Schüler*innen sowie Kinder und Jugendliche mit geringerem familiären Wohlstand einsamer fühlen, stimmt mit Ergebnissen aus anderen Ländern überein und liefert Ansatzpunkte für die Planung von Präventionsmaßnahmen. Es bedarf in Deutschland weiterer Forschung zu möglichen gesundheitsbezogenen Zusammenhängen von Einsamkeit.

Factors affecting loneliness among left-behind children.

In Vietnam, research on the impact of parental migration on left-behind children (LBC) has discussed various dimensions of the subject such as subjective well-being, emotional states, social skills, self-esteem and nutrition of LBC. However, there are still gaps in studies on loneliness among LBC in Vietnam. The study aims to explore the status of loneliness in LBC, including associated protective and risk factors, to make suggestions on preventive measures against LBC's loneliness. The conveniently selected sample includes 439 LBC in 4 Vietnamese provinces: Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Thai Binh and Nghe An. The mean age is 12.73 (SD = 1.68). Female children account for 47.80%. The Children's Loneliness Scale was employed in the study. The total loneliness score of LBC is 28.62 (SD = 9.40), 95% CI: 27.75-29.48. Perceived social support from friends, caregivers and resilience factors of affect control (RAC), family support (RFS) and help-seeking (RHS) are protective factors for loneliness of LBC, with regression coefficient of -.27, -.18, -.11, -.11 and -.09 respectively. Perceived social support from friends, care-giving attachment and resilience factors of RAC, RFS, and RHS are protective factors for LBC against loneliness. Parents, teachers and guardians are encouraged to have a close connection with LBC, provide adequate care giving; and create a supportive environment for LBC in pursuing healthy peer relationships and train/improve children's skills to strengthen their resilience.

Preschool predictors of loneliness in school‐age children

AbstractChronic loneliness is a risk factor associated with adverse psychological, physical, and academic outcomes. Converging evidence suggests that young children experience and can reliably report on their own loneliness: thus, a clearer understanding of the risk factors for child loneliness is needed. The aims of this study were two‐fold: (a) to examine if temperament (i.e., negative affect, effortful control, inhibitory control), and attachment security assessed at the age of four predict loneliness at the age of six and (b) to determine if social competence at the age of five mediates the relation between temperament and attachment security at the age of four and loneliness at the age of six. Participants included a diverse sample of 796 4‐year‐old children, about half of whom were male. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that lower levels of effortful control and inhibitory control at the age of four significantly predicted greater loneliness at the age of six. Also, while lower levels of negative affect (NA) and higher levels of effortful control and attachment security at the age of four significantly predicted higher levels of social competence at the age of five, social competence at the age of five did not predict loneliness at the age of six. There was no evidence that social competence at the age of five mediated the relation between the age of four temperament, attachment security, and the age of six loneliness. These findings reveal that early self‐regulation is associated with later child‐reported loneliness and that intervention for children who struggle with behavioral regulation may be effective in decreasing risk for later loneliness.

How does parent-child attachment influence left-behind children's loneliness and depression: The mediating roles of peer attachment and teacher-student relationship.

Loneliness and depression are common emotional problems among left-behind children, and these emotional problems may have a high correlation with attachment relationships. This study aimed to investigate the effects of parent-child attachment on left-behind children's loneliness and depression and the mediating roles of peer attachment and teacher-student relationship and their gender differences. Using two waves of data, 614 left-behind children participated in the longitudinal study by completing a series of relevant questionnaire two times (spaced 6months). The results showed that (1) both father-child attachment and mother-child attachment could negatively predict the loneliness and depression of left-behind children. Further, mother-child attachment has a greater predictive effect on loneliness. (2) Peer attachment played a mediating role in parent-child attachment and left-behind children's loneliness; teacher-student relationship played a mediating role in parent-child attachment and left-behind children's loneliness and depression. (3) The scores of girls were higher than those of boys in the four types of attachment relationships; the mediating role of teacher-student relationship between parent-child attachment and depression was significant only among boys. This study explored the factors that may have impacts on left-behind children's loneliness and depression as well as its potential mechanism and their gender differences based on the perspective of multiple-attachment theory. These results emphasize the important role of close parent-child attachment in reducing loneliness and depression among left-behind children, as well as the necessary mediating role of peer attachment and teacher-student relationships. These findings provide some valuable recommendations for preventing left-behind children's loneliness and depression.