Lonely Teens Face Higher Risk of PTSD and Depression Later in Life

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by PsyPost.

A new study published in Journal of Adolescent Health has revealed that adolescents who experience high levels of loneliness are more likely to develop depression, PTSD, and stress-related conditions later in life, but do not experience a major impact upon their physical health.

Led by Eric S Kim from the University of British Columbia, Canada, the research team sought to investigate whether loneliness in adolescence predicts poor health and well-being in adulthood.

The researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which recruited over 11,000 U.S. adolescents who were, on average, 15 years old.

Participants were first surveyed in the mid-1990s when they were in grades 7 to 12, answering questions about how often they felt lonely.

Kim and colleagues then followed up with them over the next 11 to 20 years, collecting information on 41 different health-related outcomes, including physical health conditions, mental health disorders, psychological well-being, and social relationships.

The participants were then divided into three groups based on their responses: those who reported rarely feeling lonely, those who felt lonely sometimes, and those who felt lonely often. The researchers then compared health outcomes across these groups while accounting for other factors like socioeconomic background and family structure.

The most striking results were in the area of mental health. Adolescents who experienced higher levels of loneliness were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and stress-related conditions in adulthood.

Those who reported feeling lonely frequently were nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with PTSD. Additionally, the likelihood of experiencing depression later in life increased by about 25%. Participants also reported lower happiness and job satisfaction.

Interestingly, while loneliness had a strong connection to mental health, it did not have a major impact on physical health.

Source: PsyPost
https://www.psypost.org/lonely-teens-face-higher-risk-of-ptsd-and-depression-later-in-life/