Self-reported Loneliness Research Articles

Impact of Physical and Social Frailty on the Utilization of Nursing Care Services in Very Old Adults

Frailty, characterized by increased vulnerability to external stressors, has been found to increase the risk of healthcare utilization and nursing home admission. As the age group of 80 years or older remains frequently underrepresented in previous research, this study examined the impact of physical and social frailty on the utilization of nursing care services in very old population of North Rhine-Westphalia. Using data from a representative cross-sectional study, 1,577 community-dwelling and institutionalized individuals aged ≥80 years were included. Physical frailty was defined according to Fried’s criteria (exhaustion, weight loss, low handgrip strength, low physical activity). Social frailty was measured with self-reported loneliness, social isolation, and time spent with others. The use of outpatient care services, day care, informal and inpatient care were considered. Multinomial regression was applied to investigate the impact of physical and social frailty on the use of outpatient and inpatient care services, controlling for relevant sociodemographic and health related characteristics. Compared to very old adults who did not use any care services, no association was found between frailty and the use of outpatient or informal care. Comparing nonusers of care services with institutionalized individuals, nursing home residents were less likely to experience physical frailty and pre-frailty, but were more likely to be socially isolated and to feel lonely. These findings suggest that physical frailty might have been successfully prevented in the context of institutional inpatient care. However, early identification and intervention focused on social inclusion of the institutionalized very old individuals are needed to reverse social frailty.

Using Ecological and Twitter-Based Assessments to Examine Impacts in Temporal and Community Context

In March 2020, Bronx County (NY) saw one of the first U.S. COVID-19 outbreaks. This outbreak coincided with the ongoing Einstein Aging Study (EAS), which involved older adults living in Bronx County completing annual two-week intensive data collection “bursts.” Thus, it serves as a natural experiment to study pre-COVID to early pandemic-related changes in the daily well-being of participants who were at risk both due to their age and their location. We examined within-person change in self-reported negative thoughts, affect, stress, and loneliness from a subsample of 78 EAS participants. Participants’ data from a two-week “burst” of momentary surveys during 2019 were compared with their data from the corresponding timeframe during the early COVID-19 period (February-June 2020). Personality and mild cognitive impairment were examined as predictors of change. Average momentary loneliness significantly increased from 2019 to 2020. Participants with greater neuroticism increased more in thought unpleasantness and depressed feelings. To understand the community context, community distress markers were analyzed using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based assessments of public Twitter posts from Bronx County during the same periods. These Twitter posts also showed a surge of COVID-related topics at the onset of the Bronx outbreak. Language analysis showed a 2019-2020 increase in Bronx community markers of anxiety, depressivity, and negatively-valenced affect extracted from Twitter. We observed 2019-2020 change in both individuals’ well-being (via intensive reports) and in their communities (via Twitter). Contextualizing these with the increased COVID-19 discussion online suggests that these may reflect common pandemic effects.

Understanding Racial and Rural Disparities in the Relationship between Social Isolation and Social Technology Use

Social isolation is characterized by lack of social contacts and high degrees of loneliness. Feelings of loneliness and social isolation are linked to declines in cognitive functioning and increased risk of dementia. Previous research suggests that loneliness is more prevalent among Black and rural older adults compared to White and urban-dwelling older adults. Given these disparities, it is important to identify methods that reduce social isolation and loneliness among this population. Social technology, such as Facebook and Skype, is one possible way to connect with others. This study uses the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) dataset to examine racial and rural disparities in the relationship between social technology use and social isolation, loneliness, and social support among individuals age 50 and older. The overarching hypotheses are that (1) rural-dwelling older adults and older Blacks will report less social technology use compared to urban-dwelling and older White adults, and (2) there will be a negative relationship between loneliness and social technology use, and (3) a positive relationship between perceived positive social support and social technology use. Racial or rural disparities in these latter potential relationships are exploratory. Multiple linear regression analysis will be performed to assess these relationships. Preliminary correlational results indicate that, consistent with prior work, greater use of social technology was associated with higher social support (N=6,029; r=.29, p<.001). However, contrary to our hypothesis, greater self-reported loneliness was associated with greater social technology (r=.09, p<.001). Examination of potential racial and rural disparities in these relationships are currently underway.

Loneliness Before and During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Associations with Chronic Illnesses and Relationship Quality

While self-reported loneliness generally declines after age 65, the likelihood of experiencing chronic illnesses increases. During the Covid-19 pandemic, social isolation measures have changed the social context of many people. We address three research questions: 1) What is the predictive strength of chronic illnesses, relationship quality, and their interaction on loneliness? 2) Has Covid-19 altered experienced loneliness relative to pre-pandemic? 3) Was loneliness during Covid-19 associated with the number of prior chronic illnesses in 2016? To answer these questions, we have analyzed data from participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) included in the early 2020 release who also completed the 2016 wave (N = 1106). On average, in 2016, these participants were age 74.64 (SD = 6.66) and reported 2.57 (SD = 1.39) chronic illnesses. In 2016, unadjusted multiple regression models revealed that chronic illnesses (β = .38) and relationship quality (β = -.41) were associated with loneliness (R2 = .28). When covariates were added, these values were attenuated but remained statistically significant. In 2020 during the pandemic, 8% of these participants reported they often felt lonely and 26% reported feeling lonelier since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. People who had more chronic illnesses in 2016 reported feeling lonelier in 2020 as did people whose relationships were poorer quality (p < .05). Further analyses with final data from HRS are needed to confirm these trends. These findings highlight the importance of having longitudinal information to identify individuals at high risk and most likely to benefit from interventions.

Risk factors of loneliness across the life span

Although loneliness is typically associated with adolescence and old age, research has revealed that it is prevalent across the life span. The present study contributes to the loneliness literature by investigating a broad range of risk factors in a Dutch sample ( N = 52,341) ranging from late adolescence to old age using a cross-sectional survey administered by the regional public health services in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. Risk factors associated with higher levels of self-reported loneliness across the life span were being male, lower education levels, inadequacy of financial resources, mental health, informal caregiving that is experienced as burdensome, and limited social contact or network type. In addition, in early adulthood, having a non-western migration background and having a physical disability were associated with higher levels of loneliness, whereas living alone, having a non-western migration background, and not having a paid job were risk factors of loneliness in middle adulthood. In late adulthood, living alone and having a physical disability were associated with loneliness. The present study demonstrates that different stages of life are associated with different vulnerability factors of loneliness. Hence, the prevention of loneliness might require different interventions in different age groups.

Dental faculty well-being amid COVID-19 in fall 2020: A multi-site measure of burnout, loneliness, and resilience.

This study aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental school faculty's self-reported burnout, loneliness, and resilience. A 34-item questionnaire composed of three previously validated scales - adapted Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the brief resilience scale, and a short loneliness scale - and demographic information was sent by email to dental school faculty in four dental schools across the US during the sixth and seventh months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two-hundred sixteen (19.63%) of faculty invited to participate completed the survey. On a scale of five, with five indicating extreme burnout and one indicating no burnout, the average personal burnout was 2.7 (SD=0.83), and work-related burnout (WRB) was 2.8 (SD=0.83). Personal and WRB decreased with increasing age. WRB was significantly higher among full-time faculty, females, and those living alone. Faculty who lived alone experienced more loneliness than those who lived with others. Resilience was not a statistically significant difference across demographic groups. Regarding the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on their burnout, loneliness, and resilience on a scale ranging from "Never" (scored as 1) to "A great deal" (scored as 5), the average response for burnout was 3.3 (SD=1.01), loneliness was 2.6 (SD=1.10), and resilience was 2.8 (SD=0.99). While self-reported burnout and resilience scores did not show a significant increase during the pandemic, the rates of burnout and loneliness remain higher than the public. Dental education has real challenges and opportunities to explore individual and organizational interventions to combat burnout and loneliness and enhance resilience among faculty.

Attachment Theory as a Lens to Explain Accommodation, Nonaccommodation, and Loneliness in Relationships between Middle-Aged Parents and Young Adult Children

ABSTRACT The role of individual differences in shaping family members’ experiences has only been sporadically examined in research on communication accommodation theory. This dyadic study (N = 126 middle-aged parents and 126 young adult children) investigated the relationship between parents’ and children’s attachment anxiety and avoidance and self-reported loneliness, and the roles of accommodation and nonaccommodation within that. Among other findings, parents’ attachment anxiety and avoidance positively predicted parents’ perceptions of receiving overaccommodation and underaccommodation, as well as children’s perceptions of receiving underaccommodation. Both parties’ perceptions of receiving underaccommodation positively predicted children’s loneliness. Post-hoc indirect associations suggested that children’s attachment anxiety and avoidance indirectly predicted both parties’ perceptions of receiving underaccommodation, via children’s loneliness. Findings are discussed in terms of the implications of attachment and loneliness for communication accommodation theory.

Preferred life expectancy and the association with hypothetical adverse life scenarios among Norwegians aged 60.

Backgroundhow long older individuals prefer to live given hypothetical adverse changes in health and living conditions has been insufficiently studied.Objectivesthe objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between six adverse health and living conditions and preferred life expectancy (PLE) after the age of 60 years.Designcross-sectional face-to-face interviews.Settingpopulation-based sample.Participants825 community dwellers aged 60 years and older in Norway.Methodslogistic regression models were used to analyse PLE, measured with a single question: ‘If you could choose freely, until what age would you wish to live?’ The impact on PLE of several hypothetical scenarios, such as being diagnosed with dementia, spousal death, becoming a burden, poverty, loneliness and chronic pain was analysed by age, sex, education, marital status, cognitive function, self-reported loneliness and chronic pain.Resultsaverage PLE was 91.4 years (95% CI 90.9, 92.0), and there was no difference between men and women, but those at older ages had higher PLE than those at younger ages. The scenarios that had the strongest negative effects on PLE were dementia, followed by chronic pain, being a burden to society, loneliness, poverty and losing one’s spouse. PLE among singles was not affected by the prospect of feeling lonely. The higher educated had lower PLE for dementia and chronic pain.Conclusionamong Norwegians 60+, the desire to live into advanced ages is significantly reduced by hypothetical adverse life scenarios, with the strongest effect caused by dementia and chronic pain.

Loneliness and sleep in the American Indian Blackfeet community

BackgroundSleep is largely understudied in American Indians (AIs), even though sleep is implicated in the chronic diseases which disproportionately affect AI communities. ObjectiveTo investigate relationships between daily self-reported loneliness and sleep as measured with actigraphy. MethodsIn a sample of 98 Blackfeet adults living on the Blackfeet reservation in Montana, we used Ecological Momentary Assessment and actigraphy over a week-long period to investigate relationships between loneliness and sleep. Loneliness was measured daily using the Short Loneliness Scale and actigraphy was used to measure total sleep time, sleep onset latency (SOL), wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep efficiency (SE). ResultsUsing a series of generalized linear mixed-effects models controlling for demographic characteristics, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and adverse childhood experiences, we found that those who were lonelier had higher WASO and SOL, and lower SE relative to those who were less lonely. Within-subject effects indicate that participants who were lonelier for a given day relative to their own weekly average had higher WASO that night relative to their own weekly average. ConclusionsOur findings provide initial preliminary evidence suggesting that loneliness may be a psychosocial factor which contributes to poor sleep in AI communities.

The trajectory of loneliness in UK young adults during the summer to winter months of COVID-19

Current research has shown that young adults are at the greatest risk of loneliness during the pandemic. Drawing upon the Understanding Society COVID-19 survey, this study investigated the trajectory of loneliness in young adults (aged 18-25) from June to November 2020 and its association with emotional support as well as demographic and health factors. The analytic sample included 419 young adults (296 females; 123 males). Growth curve modelling revealed a U-shape longitudinal trend in self-reported loneliness, with a sharp rise during the winter months under the national lockdown. Young adults with long-standing physical or mental health conditions were more likely to report feeling lonely. Those with a lower household income and who were unemployed or not in school reported higher levels of loneliness. Gender was found to moderate the association between self-reported emotional support and loneliness. While greater emotional support was associated with less loneliness in males, no association was shown for females. The current findings add to our understanding of how the pandemic has affected the mental health of young adults and the differential effect of emotional support as a potential coping strategy for males and females.

Abstract MP28: Social Isolation, Loneliness, And Cardiovascular Disease Among Older Women In The Women’S Health Initiative

Background: Now more than ever is a critical time to understand the independent contributions social isolation and loneliness have on cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. This study examined the unique contribution social isolation and loneliness have on incidence of CVD among a large, diverse sample of postmenopausal women. Further, we examined whether levels of social support modified these relationships. Methods: Women with no prior history of CVD events (n=57,825; age 79±6) self-reported social activities, living alone, marital status, loneliness, and social support from 2014-2015 and were followed up-to 4 years for incident major CVD (myocardial infarction, stroke, and CVD death). Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CVD were estimated for 1-interquartile range (IQR) increment in social isolation and loneliness using 3 progressively adjusted Cox proportional hazard models. Social support was tested as an effect modifier using a multiplicative interaction term in model 2 (see Table) separately for social isolation and loneliness. Results: Over a cumulative follow-up time of 186,762 person-years, 1,599 incident major CVD events were observed. In fully adjusted models containing both social isolation and loneliness, HRs (95% CIs) for 1-IQR increment in social isolation 1.07 (1.03 - 1.12) and loneliness 1.05 (1.01 - 1.09) (see Table). Social support was not an effect modifier of either association (p’s &gt; .05). Conclusions: Higher social isolation and loneliness were each independently associated with higher risk for incident CVD events among older women and associations were not significantly different among those with high and low social support. Findings support emerging evidence regarding the importance of social connection on heart health. Future studies need to explore ways to reduce feelings of social isolation and loneliness, and the mechanisms through which that affects healthy cardiovascular aging and resiliency.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young people: A comparison between China and the United Kingdom

sPurposeAs COVID-19 spreads globally and affects people's health, there are concerns that the pandemic and control policies may have psychological effects on young people (age from 17 to 35 years). This psychological impact might vary in different countries, and thus we compared the prevalence of self-reported psychological distress, loneliness and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among young people in the United Kingdom (UK) and China at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData of this study came from two sources. One source was the first wave of COVID-19 study in Understanding Society, a special wave of the UK household longitudinal study, which provided the high-quality, national-wide representative panel data. The sample comprised 1054 young people. The other source was an online survey on the mental health of 1003 young people from Shanghai, a highly developed area in China. The questionnaire included questions on the prevalence of common mental disorders (cut-off score ≥ 4), loneliness and potential PTSS (cut-off ≥ 33). Univariable analyses were conducted to test the differences in the self-reported prevalence of psychological distress and loneliness between the two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were run to explore the predictors of psychological distress and loneliness among all the young people from England and Shanghai.ResultsAmong the samples with self-reported psychological distress, the UK sample accounted for 34.4% (n=1054) and the Chinese sample accounted for 14.1% (n=1003). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Additionally, 57.1% of people in the UK and 46.7% in China reported that they sometimes or often felt lonely, of which the difference is statistically significant (p < 0.001). Regression analysis of the entire samples showed that nationality, gender, psychotherapy and loneliness were significant predictors of 12-item General Health Questionnaire scores, while the variables of age and living alone were not. Significant predictors of self-reported loneliness were the nationality, gender, age, living alone and psychotherapy. In China, 123 (12.3%) young people, 49 men (11.3%) and 74 women (13.0%), met the criteria of PTSS symptoms (cut-off scores ≥ 33). These scores were only collected in China.ConclusionThis evidence suggests that mental health and loneliness reported by young people were lower in China than that in the UK during the studied period. More research is needed to understand these differences. If the differential negative psychological impacts are confirmed, country-specific measures of prevention and intervention should be adopted to improve the mental health of young people under the ongoing impact of the pandemic.

Psychological distress across the deployment cycle: exploratory growth mixture model.

Prior research has identified behavioural health outcomes as key sequelae to combat deployment. However, relatively little is known about differential patterns of change in depression or generalised anxiety linked to deployment to a combat zone. In this paper, we add to the existing trajectory literature and examine key predictive factors of behavioural health risk. The primary aim is to leverage growth mixture modelling to ascertain trajectories of psychological distress, operationalised as a coherent construct combining depression and generalised anxiety, and to identify factors that differentiate adaptive and maladaptive patterns of change. Data were collected from a brigade combat team prior to a combat deployment to Afghanistan, during deployment, at immediate re-integration and approximately 2-3 months thereafter. The main outcome was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS). Three latent trajectories were identified: a low-stable trajectory, a declining trajectory and a rising trajectory. Most individuals aligned with the low-stable trajectory. A conditional model using covariates measured during deployment showed that the low-stable trajectory differed consistently from the remaining trajectories on self-reported loneliness and non-combat deployment stressors. The examination of differential patterns of adaptation, to identify individuals at higher risk, is critical for the efficient targeting of resources. Our findings further indicate that loneliness may be a useful leverage point for clinical and organisational intervention.

Feeling Lonely and Heart Rate Variability in Autism and Schizophrenia

Lower heart rate variability (HRV) reflects chronic stress and is a potential biomarker of psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and autism. In non-psychiatric populations, lower HRV has been linked to feeling lonely, and both autism and schizophrenia are more likely to report feeling lonely due to difficulties with social situations. Therefore, we investigated HRV and self-reported loneliness in autism, schizophrenia, and neurotypical controls to (1) identify how these measures differ depending on diagnosis, and (2) to ascertain if loneliness is related to HRV.

Bidirectional Relations Between Sleep and Emotional Distress in College Students: Loneliness as a Moderator

Mental health symptoms are of increasing concern among college students in the United States and are often associated with insufficient sleep. However, the predictive relations between sleep and mental health are not well understood. The present study examined the daily, bidirectional associations between multiple sleep variables (subjective rating of morning restedness, objective measurement of nighttime sleep minutes) and college students’ feelings of emotional distress. Self-reported loneliness was assessed as a moderator of these bidirectional relations. Participants were 101 undergraduate students (80% women) attending a liberal arts college in the northeastern United States. Students wore an actigraph to monitor nighttime sleep minutes across four weeknights (Monday–Thursday). They self-reported loneliness on the first day of the study and completed daily electronic assessments regarding restedness and emotional distress (worry, stress) each day for the remainder of the week. Multilevel modeling analyses demonstrated that greater restedness was predictive of less worry and stress that day. Further, the associations between better sleep (more rested, more nighttime sleep minutes) and less distress were stronger for less lonely students. In contrast, none of the distress indices were directly predictive of next-day restedness or nighttime sleep minutes, though one significant interaction demonstrated that the association between less worry and feeling more rested the next day was stronger for students who reported low compared to high loneliness. Together, the results point to sleep as a stronger influence on emotional distress than the reverse pathway and may suggest that social connection facilitates the positive influence of good sleep on student mental health.

Loneliness Among Older Adults in Latin America, China, and India: Prevalence, Correlates and Association With Mortality.

Objectives: This study was designed to explore prevalence and correlates of self-reported loneliness and to investigate whether loneliness predicts mortality among older adults (aged 65 or above) in Latin America, China and India. Methods: The study investigated population-based cross-sectional (2003–2007) and longitudinal surveys (follow-up 2007–2010) from the 10/66 Dementia Research Group project. Poisson regression and Cox regression analyses were conducted to analyse correlates of loneliness and its association with mortality. Results: The standardised prevalence of loneliness varied between 25.3 and 32.4% in Latin America and was 18.3% in India. China showed a low prevalence of loneliness (3.8%). In pooled meta-analyses, there was robust evidence to support an association between loneliness and mortality across Latin American countries (HR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.01–1.26, I2 = 10.1%) and China (HR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.03–2.41), but there were no associations in India. Conclusion: Our findings suggest potential cultural variances may exist in the concept of loneliness in older age. The effect of loneliness upon mortality is consistent across different cultural settings excluding India. Loneliness should therefore be considered as a potential dimension of public health among older populations.

Autistic traits and loneliness in autism are associated with increased tendencies to anthropomorphise.

Anthropomorphism-the attribution of human qualities to non-human objects-is believed to be a natural tendency which may serve several adaptive functions. One possibility is that anthropomorphism provides an egocentric heuristic by which we can understand the world. It may also be a strategy for reducing our subjective sense of loneliness. However, not all humans exhibit the same propensity to anthropomorphise. Recent findings suggest that autistic individuals may be more likely to anthropomorphise than non-autistic individuals. In Study 1, we conducted a large-scale survey of autistic traits and dispositional anthropomorphism in the general population (n = 870). We found that individuals who reported having more autistic traits had an increased dispositional tendency to anthropomorphise non-human entities. In Study 2, we more closely examined variation in anthropomorphism tendencies in a sample of autistic adults (n = 90) to better understand what might drive increased anthropomorphism in this population. We found that those with greater anthropomorphism tendencies experienced greater levels of self-reported loneliness. We propose that increased anthropomorphism might reflect reduced opportunities for social connection for autistic people and those with more autistic traits.

Conversations in Times of Isolation: Exploring Rural-Dwelling Older Adults' Experiences of Isolation and Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Manitoba, Canada.

Older adults have been described as a vulnerable group in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Canada, where this study took place, older adults have been encouraged to self-isolate while the rest of the population has been cautioned against in-person contact with them. Prior to COVID-19, social isolation and loneliness among older adults was considered a serious public health concern. Using a series of semi-structured interviews with 26 community-dwelling older adults (65+) living in rural Manitoba, we explore older adults’ experiences of isolation and loneliness in the initial stages of the pandemic between the months of May and July 2020. Participants identified a loss of autonomy, loss of activities and social spaces (e.g., having coffee or eating out, volunteering, and going to church), and lack of meaningful connection at home as factors influencing their sense of isolation and loneliness. Although these loses initially influenced participants’ self-reported isolation and loneliness, the majority developed strategies to mitigate isolation and loneliness, such as drawing on past experiences of isolation, engaging in physically distanced visits, connecting remotely, and “keeping busy.” Our findings call attention to the role of different environments and resources in supporting older adults social and emotional wellbeing, particularly as they adapt to changes in social contact over time.

College student mental health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications of campus relocation

PurposeDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities evacuated their campuses, requiring students to vacate on campus residences. The psychological outcomes of students who relocated during the pandemic remains unknown. We examined mandated relocation experiences related to self-reported worry, grief, loneliness, and depressive, generalized anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsWe analyzed cross-sectional survey data obtained from April 9 to August 4, 2020 on 791 young adults (ages 18–30 years) who were enrolled at a U.S. university. The CARES 2020 Project (COVID-19 Adult Resilience Experiences Study) is an online survey of young adults’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruitment relied on snowball sampling. Participants were asked if they were required to relocate from campus and among those who did, their experiences in moving. COVID-19-related worry and grief, loneliness, and depressive, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms were assessed. ResultsApproximately one-third of students reported being mandated to relocate. Students mandated to relocate reported more COVID-19-related grief, loneliness, and generalized anxiety symptoms compared to those who did not even after controlling for the severity level of local COVID-19 outbreaks. Students who had to leave behind valuable personal belongings reported more COVID-19-related worries, grief, and depressive, generalized anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. ConclusionsStudents who were mandated to relocate reported worse psychological outcomes compared to students who were not mandated to relocate. Our findings have implications for addressing the psychological impact of evacuating college campuses during public health emergencies and other disasters.

Spotting Loneliness at School: Associations between Self-Reports and Teacher and Peer Nominations.

In two independent studies, we aimed to examine the extent to which teacher and peer nominations of loneliness are associated with children’s and adolescents’ self-reported loneliness, respectively. Additionally, we examined whether loneliness nominations from teachers and peers were informative above and beyond peer status and social behaviors associated with loneliness. In Study 1 (N = 1594, Mage = 9.43 years), teacher nominations of loneliness showed a small to moderate correlation with children’s self-reported loneliness as assessed using the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire (LSDQ). The results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that teacher nominations of loneliness predicted children’s self-reported loneliness above and beyond teacher nominations of peer status and social behaviors. In Study 2 (N = 350, Mage = 13.81 years), peer nominations of loneliness showed a small to moderate correlation with adolescents’ self-reported loneliness as assessed using the peer-related loneliness subscale of the Loneliness and Aloneness Scale for Children and Adolescents (LACA). The results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that peer nominations of loneliness predicted adolescents’ self-reported loneliness above and beyond peer nominations of peer status and social behaviors. We conclude that loneliness nominations are valuable, but caution is needed when they are used exclusively to identify lonely children and adolescents.