Significant Difference In Loneliness Research Articles

Effects of Tactile Massage in Improving Older Residents' Psychological Health in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Loneliness, anxiety and depressive symptoms are common among older residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), which can negatively impact their quality of life and increase mortality rates. Addressing these psychological health issues is an important task for nursing staff. There is a need for easy and accessible interventions to improve older residents' negative emotions. Tactile massage (TM) is a form of touch therapy that induces oxytocin, which can help individuals feel relaxed, experience pleasure and reduce anxiety. TM can also provide a sense of security and care for individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of TM in improving older residents' psychological health in LTCFs. In this study, we applied a two-arm randomised controlled trial research design. We used convenience sampling to enrol 55 older residents in three long-term care facilities who were randomly assigned to an intervention group and a comparison group. The intervention group received TM by research assistants on both hands for 15 min per time, twice a week for 4 weeks and the comparison group received regular care. Data were collected before and after the intervention. Generalised estimating equations (GEEs) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. There were no significant differences in loneliness, anxiety, depressive symptoms, happiness, ear temperature, heart rate or diastolic blood pressure between the two groups after the intervention. However, the intervention group had significant improvements in comfort (B = 0.86, p < 0.001), relaxation (B = 1.00, p < 0.001), respiratory rate (B = -0.16, p = 0.021) and systolic blood pressure (B = - 4.17, p = 0.002) compared to the control group. TM can help older residents who live in LTCFs feel relaxed and comfortable. TM can be easily implemented as it requires no tools. We recommend that nursing staff and healthcare professionals incorporate TM as part of their care routines. They also can encourage family members to perform TM on residents during their visits to enhance residents' comfort and relaxation. The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist was used for this paper. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05052138).

The effects of sleep quality on loneliness among older adults: cohort analysis from the life course perspective.

Using cohort analysis to examine the effects of sleep quality on loneliness among older adults from the life course perspective. The hierarchical age-period-cohort growth curve model was used to analyze the data from the 2005-2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). (1) Loneliness has a 'U' curve relationship with age, but with the rate of increase gradually slowing down. (2) There were significant differences in loneliness across birth cohorts, with younger cohorts having higher predicted loneliness than older cohorts at the same age. (3) The influence of different sleep quality on loneliness showed a trend of increasing with age. (4) There were no significant differences in the impact of sleep quality on loneliness in different cohorts. This study has identified heterogeneity in loneliness, emphasising the need for a diversified intervention approach. Sleep quality has a protective effect on loneliness and is easy to assess, making it an important intervention tool. In addition, it is imperative to account for the influences of age and cohort effects when formulating intervention strategies.

"I've been doing this for years": the COVID-19 pandemic and family caregiver isolation and loneliness.

Family caregivers are family members or friends of care recipients who assist with activities of daily living, medication management, transportation, and help with finances among other activities. As a result of their caregiving, family caregivers are often considered a population at risk of experiencing increased stress, isolation, and loneliness. During the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, social isolation and decrease in social activities were a top concern among older adults and their family caregivers. Using secondary analysis of survey data as part of a multi-site implementation trial of a caregiver skills training program, we describe differences in caregiver experiences of loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health and wellbeing surveys of family caregivers were collected on 422 family caregivers of veterans before and during COVID-19. Logistic regression modeling examined whether the loneliness differed between caregiver groups pre vs during COVID-19, using the UCLA 3-item loneliness measure. Rapid directed qualitative content analysis of open-ended survey questions was used to explore the context of how survey responses were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. There were no significant differences in loneliness between caregivers pre vs during COVID-19. In open-ended responses regarding effects of COVID-19, caregivers described experiencing loneliness and social isolation; why they were unaffected by the pandemic; and how caregiving equipped them with coping strategies to manage negative pandemic-related effects. Loneliness did not differ significantly between pre vs during COVID-19 caregivers. Future research could assess what specific characteristics are associated with caregivers who have resiliency, and identify caregivers who are more susceptible to experiencing loneliness. Understanding caregiver loneliness could assist other healthcare systems in developing and implementing caregiver support interventions.

Loneliness Among Low-Income Older Immigrants Living in Subsidized Senior Housing: Does Perceived Social Cohesion Matter?

ABSTRACT This study compared the level of loneliness among older immigrants residing in subsidized senior housing with that of non-immigrant residents. The study also sought to examine the differential influence of perceived social cohesion on loneliness among these groups. 231 study participants were recruited from subsidized senior housing in St. Louis and the Chicago area. Multiple regression analyses showed that there was a significant difference in loneliness between immigrants and non-immigrants (b = .3, SE = 0.150, p < .05). Also, perceived social cohesion was negatively associated with loneliness (b=−.102, SE = .022, p < .001). Furthermore, immigration status moderated the relationship (b=−.147, SE = .043, p < .01), showing immigrants may benefit more from higher perceived social cohesion in terms of loneliness. The results suggest that perceived social cohesion may act as an important community-level protective factor against loneliness, particularly for older immigrants residing in subsidized senior housing. Creating socially cohesive environments, particularly for this subgroup, could be a crucial strategy for mitigating loneliness.

Comparative effectiveness of two versions of a caring contacts intervention in healthcare providers, staff, and patients for reducing loneliness and mental distress: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundCaring Contacts can effectively reduce suicide ideation, attempts, and death. In published clinical trials, Caring Contacts were sent by someone who knew the recipient. At scale, Caring Contacts programs rarely introduce the recipient and sender. It is not known whether receiving Caring Contacts from someone unknown is as effective as messages from someone the recipient has met. MethodsPragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing Caring Contacts with (CC+) versus without an introductory phone call (CC). Recruitment occurred January–July 2021, with outcomes assessed at 6 months. Participants were primary care patients or healthcare providers/staff reporting adverse mental health outcomes on a qualifying survey. Participants were sent 11 standardized caring text messages over 6 months; when participants replied, they received personalized unscripted responses. CC+ calls were semi-structured. The primary outcome was loneliness (NIH Toolkit). ResultsParticipants included 331 patients (mean [SD] age: 45.5 [16.4], 78.9 % female) and 335 healthcare providers/staff (mean [SD] age: 40.9 [11.8], 86.6 % female). There were no significant differences in loneliness at 6 months by treatment arm in either stratum. In patients, mean (SD) loneliness was 61.9 (10.7) in CC, and 60.8 (10.3) in CC+, adjusted mean difference of −1.0 (95 % CI: −3.0, 1.0); p-value = 0.31. In providers/staff, mean (SD) loneliness was 61.2 (11) in CC, and 61.3 (11.1) in CC+, adjusted mean difference of 0.2 (95 % CI: −1.8, 2.2); p-value = 0.83. LimitationsStudy population was 93 % white which may limit generalizability. ConclusionsIncluding an initial phone call added operational complexity without significantly improving the effectiveness of a Caring Contacts program.

Reducing Loneliness in Undergraduate Students through E-Journaling Intervention: A Pre-Experimental Study

The Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia has had a devastating psychological impact on society, with the rise of online interaction failing to replace face-to-face interaction, particularly among undergraduate students. Loneliness is a prevalent mental health problem among students during the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of e-journaling intervention in reducing loneliness among undergraduate students. A pre-experimental design was used, with 38 undergraduate students participating in writing activities in the form of journaling every weekday for two weeks. Pre and post-tests were given using the De Jong Giervield Loneliness Scale to evaluate loneliness. The results of a Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed no significant difference in loneliness before and after the intervention, with only 40% of participants showing a decrease in loneliness. This suggests that e-journaling intervention is not an effective way to reduce student loneliness during the pandemic. A randomized controlled study is recommended for further exploration of the efficacy of e-journaling intervention.

Loneliness in Older Migrants: Exploring the Role of Cultural Differences in Their Loneliness Experience.

The scientific literature suggests the necessity of studying loneliness from a broader social perspective. This article aims to broaden the research on loneliness in older migrants by exploring the role of cultural differences through the lens of the social environment (as measured in social capital, discrimination, and ageism) and social situation (as measured in relational mobility, childness, and marital status). Based on Hofstede's Individualism Index, older migrants involved in the BBC Loneliness Experiment (N = 2164) were classified into three groups: cultural migrants (i.e., from a collectivist to individualist culture) (N = 239), migrants with a similar culture (i.e., within an individualist culture) (N = 841), and ageing non-migrants (N = 1084). The two main objectives were (1) to compare the levels of loneliness among these three groups, and (2) to unravel how different influencing factors, such as the social environment, social situation, coping strategies, and personal characteristics, are related to loneliness. Bivariate analyses were performed to determine the differences in the loneliness, social environment, social situation, and personal characteristic variables between the groups, with adjusted p-values according to the Bonferroni correction to limit the potential for type I errors (α = 0.005). Multiple linear regressions were performed to unravel the relationships between loneliness and the different influencing factors, namely the social environment, social situation, coping strategies, and personal characteristics. The bivariate analyses show no significant difference in loneliness across the three groups. The multiple linear regressions demonstrate that the social environment (i.e., social capital, discrimination, and ageism) is significantly associated with loneliness. Social capital acts as a protective factor for cultural migrants (β = -0.27, p < 0.005, 95% CI [-0.48, -0.05]), similar-culture migrants (β = -0.13, p < 0.005, 95% CI [-0.25, -0.03]), and non-migrants (β = -0.21, p < 0.001, 95% CI [-0.28, -0.12]). Discrimination and ageism are both risk factors for loneliness across the three groups. Social situation, as measured in married/cohabitation status and relational mobility, shows a significant association with loneliness in the non-migrants and similar-culture migrants but not the cultural migrants. In terms of individual resources for coping strategies, engagement in active coping is protective for all three groups. Non-coping, the unawareness of any coping strategies, is a risk factor, while passive coping shows no significant association. The results show that the structural factor of the social environment in which older migrants' find themselves, rather than their culture of origin, is more important for older migrants' feelings of loneliness in later life. A favorable social environment with high social capital and low levels of discrimination and ageism protects against loneliness in the ageing population across cultures. Practical implications for loneliness interventions for older migrants are put forward.

Effectiveness of a Mental Health Program using Instagram (Friendship Town) for Newly Entered Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mental health program utilizing Instagram for nursing students.Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Fifty-seven nursing students who enrolled in a university during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea participated in the study: 30 nursing students (26 females and 4 males) in the experimental group and 27 nursing students (21 females and 6 males) in the control group. The Instagram Program for mental health provided 8 sessions for each topic. The data collected via questionnaires were statistically analyzed.Results: Significant differences were found between the two groups in depression (t=-2.32, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.024) and anxiety (t=-2.43, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.018), but there was no significant difference in loneliness (t=0.64, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.263).Conclusion: The Instagram program is accessible for incoming nursing students and effective in decreasing their depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 era. Therefore, this intervention could enhance the mental health of nursing students by allowing them to express their thoughts and feelings through mutual interaction on Instagram.

Who Became Lonely during the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Investigation of the Socioeconomic Aspects of Loneliness in Japan.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted social and economic aspects of people’s lives in different ways, causing them to experience different levels of loneliness. This study examines the extent of loneliness among men and women of various ages in Japan during the pandemic and attempts to determine the underlying causes. We used data from Hiroshima University’s nationwide survey conducted before and during the pandemic in Japan. The sample consists of 3755 participants, of which 67% are men and 33% are women with an average age of 51 years (SD = 13.64). Using mean comparison tests and probit regression models, we show that loneliness is a common occurrence among the Japanese population and that a significant number of people became lonely for the first time during the pandemic. In general, loneliness was greater among younger respondents, but older people became lonelier during the pandemic. Simultaneously, we observed significant differences in loneliness across age and gender subsamples. Although depression and subjective health status contributed to loneliness, we found no single explanation for the loneliness experienced by people during the pandemic; rather, subsample analysis revealed that the causes of loneliness for each group differed. Nevertheless, we discovered that older people are at a higher risk of developing loneliness during the pandemic due to a variety of socioeconomic and behavioral factors. The findings of this study suggest that health authorities should not generalize cases of loneliness, but rather intervene individually in each group to avoid further complications.

Differences in The Level of Loneliness Experienced by Male and Female University Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic

The implementation of the physical distancing policy as an effort to prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus seems to have resulted in loneliness problems for students. Many studies have shown that loneliness is bad for health, such as decreased immunity and cognitive function. By knowing groups vulnerable to loneliness, appropriate preventive and curative measures can be taken. Unfortunately, few studies discuss the differences in the level of loneliness in groups of men and women. This study aims to determine whether there are differences in the level of loneliness in male and female university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The approach used is quantitative with a comparative design. The total subjects were 192 University students consisting of 148 women (77%) and 44 men (23%). The participants were obtained using an online questionnaire through the accidental purposive sampling method. The research instrument used is the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 Indonesian edition which has an alpha coefficient of 0.92. Data analysis used a different independent sample t-test. The data obtained shows that the average loneliness for men is 38,272 and for women 38,108. Based on the difference test, we obtained the following result t (190) = 0.127, p 0.05. So it can be concluded that there is no significant difference in loneliness between male and female university students.

Comparing the Life Meaning, the Feeling of Loneliness, and the Image of God in Prisoners and Non-Prisoners

Background: This study aimed to compare the life meaning, the feeling of loneliness, and the of in two imprisoned and non - imprisoned groups. Methods: The research design consisted of the type of comparative descriptive - causal studies and the statistical population is all prisoners of Semnan city, and to participate in the study, 60 prisoners and 60 non-prisoners were selected by the available method, as well as two groups, in terms of some demographic variables, were matched. The measurement tools of the study included the Life Meaning Questionnaire (Steger), Feeling of Loneliness (Russell), and Imagination of (Greenaway). Questionnaires were analyzed after collection. Results: The results of the study showed that there is a significant difference between the life meaning in two prisoners and non-prisoners groups and the mean score of the meaning of life in the prison group is significantly lower than the non-prison group. There is also a significant difference in loneliness between two prisoners and non- prisoners groups and the mean of loneliness scores in prisoners is significantly higher than non-prisoners. On the other hand, there is a significant difference regarding image of God between prisoners and non-prisoners individuals, and the mean image of God scores in prisoners are less than those in non–prisoners. Conclusions: According to the result, it can be concluded that tests showed that all three hypotheses of the researcher were confirmed. In the following, the results of these tests will be reviewed. Keywords : Life meaning, loneliness feeling, Image of in imprisoned groups, Image of in non-imprisoned groups.

The Impact of Social Support on Loneliness and Worry Among University Freshmen in Sagaing District, Myanmar

The impact of social support buffers most of the psychological problems such as loneliness and worry in the transition period for university freshmen. This loneliness and worry can lead to many freshmen suffering in less confidence and difficulties in interactions as a university student. The greater perceiving social support can alleviate loneliness and worry. The main aim of this study is to investigate the impact of social support on loneliness and worry among university freshmen. In this study, a quantitative approach was used. The sample was composed of 500 freshmen from four universities, Sagaing Technological University, Sagaing University of Education, Co-operative University (Sagaing) and Sagaing University. Social support perceived by university freshmen was measured by using Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) including four subscales that are appraisal support, tangible support, self-esteem support and belonging support which consisted of 40 items. The Loneliness of freshmen was examined by using the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (RULS) consisted of 20 items. Freshmen’s worry was explored by using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) which comprised of 16 items. According to descriptive statistics, all universities in the selected district gave the equal social supports to freshmen but freshmen felt that they perceived the appraisal support than other supports. The results of independent sample t-test showed that there were significant differences in social support, loneliness and worry by gender. Furthermore, the result of ANOVA showed that there were significant differences in loneliness and worry by universities. The result of correlation analyses described that there was significant interrelationship among social support, loneliness and worry. The results of this study highlighted that types of social support can impact on loneliness and worry of freshmen effectively. That is the main reason why social support should be provided as one of the effective ways to ease loneliness and worry for freshmen.

LONELINESS OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS: THE RELATION OF SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND SELF-ESTEEM WITH LONELINESS

The research problem relates to the examination of the relationof socio-demographic characteristics (gender, level of education and the place where most of childhood was spent) and the self-esteem of the respondents with loneliness.In investigating this problem, the focus was primarily on the perception of the distribution of loneliness, and the examination of the relation of independent variables (socio-demographic characteristics and self-esteem) with the dependent variable (loneliness).The sample of respondents consists of 677 high school students (49.34%) and college students (50.66%) of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The range of years of subjects ranges from 15 to 23 (AS = 18.696).The results of the study show that there is a statistically significant difference in loneliness with regard to gender (U = 38672.000, Z = -6.122, p = .000), to the level of education (U = 42292.500, Z = -5.905, p = .000) and the place in which the respondents spent most of their childhood (χ2 = 9.383, df = 2, sig = .009). The results show that there is a statistically significant relation between self-esteem and loneliness (ro = -.401, sig = .000, N = 676).

Gender differences in the experience of loneliness among adolescents in Jakarta

Adolescence is a transition period from childhood to adulthood. During this period, adolescents are prone to problems, one of those problems being loneliness. This research aimed to find out gender differences in the experience of loneliness among adolescents in Jakarta. Six hundred sixty-two participants, which consisted of 318 male and 344 female students aged between 15-20 years old, were selected from five schools by using multi-stage random sampling. 6-Item (short) De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scales were used to measure loneliness. Data was collected through school-based research conducted on senior high school students in the Special Capital Region of Jakarta. The results show that there are significant differences in loneliness between male and female adolescents in overall, emotional and social dimensions. Female adolescents had significantly higher scores of loneliness compared to male adolescents, not only overall but also in emotional and social dimensions.

Intergenerational mentoring for young adult males with intellectual disability: Intervention description and outcomes

ABSTRACTBackground: Gaining employment can be challenging for young adults with intellectual disability (ID). This study reports on a mentoring intervention to help counter barriers to employment.Method: A single-group, pre-post design was used. Eighteen young men with mild to moderate ID joined a local Men’s Shed and were assigned a Shed member as their mentor. Pre- and post-measures assessed quality of life, loneliness, personal wellbeing and workplace adjustment. Techniques from the Behaviour Change Taxonomy were used to provide support to both mentee and mentor.Results: There was a significant improvement in the community domain of quality of life. There were no significant differences in loneliness, wellbeing or workplace adjustment. Mentees attended more social events independently, and increased skills and community participation.Conclusion: By providing targeted and graded support to the mentee-mentor dyad, community-based interventions can provide a sense of community and develop workplace skills for young people with ID.

Loneliness, Social Support, Life Satisfaction, and Internet Addiction among Day Scholars and Hostel Students

For the purpose of pursuing education, students stay in hostel to carry out their desired course. During hostel life, they gain experience and learn various things from their teachers and inmates. In addition, as they are staying away from their family, they go through certain enduring experiences like loneliness, lack of social support, and other issues. The present study examined the relationship between loneliness, social support internet addiction, and life satisfaction among day scholars and hostel students. The sample consisted of 200 college students out of which 100 were day scholars and 100 were hostel students. The students were selected from 3 colleges in Chennai city. The students were administered Internet Addiction Test (IAT) by Dr. Kimberly Young (1996), UCLA Loneliness Scale by Russell, D. (1978), Social Support Questionnaire by Sarason et al., (1987) and Life Satisfaction by Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., &amp; Griffin, S. (1985). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between internet addiction, loneliness, social support and life satisfaction. Independent samples t-test was used to examine the difference between day scholars and hostel students. The analysis revealed that internet addiction and loneliness were significantly positively correlated. There was no significant relationship between internet addiction and social support. Internet addiction and life satisfaction were found to be significantly negatively correlated. Loneliness and social support were found to be significantly negatively correlated. Loneliness and life satisfaction were found to be significantly negatively correlated. There was a significant positive correlation between social support and life satisfaction. Also, results indicated that there were no significant differences in internet addiction and life satisfaction among day scholars and hostel students. There were significant differences in loneliness and social support among day scholars and hostel students. Hostel students tended to have higher loneliness and experience lesser social support.

RESEARCH OF LONELINESS LEVELS OF FOOTBALLERS IN AMATEUR FOOTBALL CLUBS

The aim of this study is to measure the loneliness levels of footballers in amateur football clubs in Gaziantep and to examine their sub dimensions according to the variables of emotional deprivation and social friend poverty. The universe of the research is composed of 1672 active amateur soccer players in the province of Gaziantep. The sample of the research is composed of 328 soccer players selected by chance. A validity and reliability study were conducted with reference to Loneliness at Work Scale. A total of 328 athletes participated in the survey, 77 females and 251 males. It was accepted that the normality test result Kolmogorov Smirnov (P <0.001) did not show a normal distribution and the normal distribution of skewness kurtosis values between -1.5 and +1.5 was used to measure hypotheses with appropriate statistical methods. The homogeneity of the variances was measured by the Levene Statistic Test. Independent T-Test, OneWay ANOVA and Tukey multiple comparison statistical methods were used for the independent variables that met the hypothesis by testing the sub-dimensions of the scale separately. Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to dependent variables that did not meet homogeneity of variance. The Cronbach alpha value of the validity and reliability of the study is 0,701. At the end of the study, it was determined that there were significant differences in loneliness and sub-dimensions of some variables belonging to participant. In the light of these results, it has been concluded that footballers have loneliness due to their personal life differences and that coaches and managers should have more space for enhancing their family ties and enhancing their sense of belonging among the footballers. Article visualizations:

HUBUNGAN ANTARA REGULASI DIRI DENGAN KESEPIAN PADA MAHASISWA TAHUN PERTAMA DI FAKULTAS KESEHATAN MASYARAKAT DAN FAKULTAS ILMU SOSIAL DAN ILMU POLITIK UNIVERSITAS DIPONEGORO SEMARANG

Individuals in early adult experience transition from high school to college. At that time involves major changes in the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects. During the transition to college, it was found that there was a risk of a lonely phenomenon. This reasearch aims to determine the relationship between self-regulation with loneliness in first year students in the Faculty of Public Health and Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Diponegoro University of Semarang. The population of this reasearch is the first year students in the Faculty of Public Health and Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Diponegoro University numbered 886 students. The sample of research was 248 people obtained with convenience sampling technique. The data were collected using Self Regulation Scale (26 valid items; α = .88) and Loneliness Scale (26 valid items; α = .89), which have been tested on 92 students. Simple regression analysis showed a negative and significant relationship between self-regulation with loneliness shown through rxy = -.54 correlation coefficient with p = .000 (p &lt;.001). The higher the self-regulation, the loneliness felt will be lower, and vice versa. Self regulation provides an effective contribution of 29% on loneliness. Additional analysis in this study used an independent sample t-test, which showed that there was no significant difference in loneliness based on differences in residence, gender, and the origin of the faculty. This research is expected to be a consideration for students and faculty about self regulation and loneliness, as well as supporting references for further researchers.

Loneliness and Depression in Self-Care Students in Mashhad Northeastern Iran

Background: Who takes care of the children after school? is a question in many researches. Children may feel lonely and depressed if they open the house door and find no body in the house. Objectives: The study examines loneliness and depression in students who regularly care for themselves after school (latchkey students) and compared with students who enjoy the parent’s company Patients and Methods: This study comprised 270 students, aged between 7 to 13 years in Mashhad, selected by convenience and cluster random-assignment sampling, using depression self-rating questionnaire and loneliness self-rating scale. Results: Using a causal-comparative research method, independent t-test results showed significant differences in loneliness (-4.32, P ≤ 0.05) and depression (-3.02, P ≤ 0.05) between latchkey and non-latchkey students. Using the Pearson correlation test, significant correlation between depression and loneliness was observed among latchkey students (r = 0.59, P ≤ 0.05). However, no significant difference between loneliness and depression was observed (r = 0.02. P ≥ 0.05) in non-latchkey students. Multiple regression analysis also showed that depression variance can be determined by gender 22% and loneliness 34% (boys and girls). Conclusions: The findings of this study, specifically the significant difference between latchkey and non-latchkey children, regarding feelings of loneliness and depression, carries clear message for parents. It can be concluded that mothers who spend most of their time working out of the house and deprive their children of their presence at home may cause some form of mental distress like loneliness and depression in youngsters. Moreover, gender differences affect the degree of these psychological disorders.

A latent class analysis of bullies, victims and aggressive victims in Chinese adolescence: relations with social and school adjustments.

This study used the latent class analysis (LCA) to identify and classify Chinese adolescent children's aggressive behaviors. It was found that (1) Adolescent children could be divided into four categories: general children, aggressive children, victimized children and aggressive victimized children. (2) There were significant gender differences among the aggressive victimized children, the aggressive children and the general children. Specifically, aggressive victimized children and aggressive children had greater probabilities of being boys; victimized children had equal probabilities of being boys or girls. (3) Significant differences in loneliness, depression, anxiety and academic achievement existed among the aggressive victims, the aggressor, the victims and the general children, in which the aggressive victims scored the worst in all questionaires. (4) As protective factors, peer and teacher supports had important influences on children's aggressive and victimized behaviors. Relative to general children, aggressive victims, aggressive children and victimized children had lower probabilities of receiving peer supports. On the other hand, compared to general children, aggressive victims had lower probabilities of receiving teacher supports; while significant differences in the probability of receiving teacher supports did not exist between aggressive children and victimized children.