Adults between the ages of 16 and 24 were most likely of any group to say they felt lonely, with 40% responding that they felt lonely “often” or “very often.” By contrast, only 27% of those over age 75 had the same response. The research was conducted with a BBC survey of 55,000 people which was then analyzed by psychologists at the University of Manchester.
Why are young people so lonely? An analysis accompanying the release of the findings notes that our late teens and early 20s are often a tumultuous period. People experience lots of changes, including moving away from home, starting college, and experiencing our first jobs and relationships. But young people may not yet be well-equipped to deal with the stress and emotional upheavals. [...]
One of the limitations of the survey was that, because it was self-selecting, it may have overstated the degree to which loneliness is felt amongst the population as a whole. It’s also possible younger people are more likely to fill in an online survey. The large number of responses means the study is still worth examining, however. The survey was publicly available through a UK site, but not restricted to participants from only that country.
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