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Adolescents’ Loneliness and Depression Associated with Friendship Experiences and Well-Being: A Person-Centered Approach

  • Empirical Research
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Abstract

Loneliness and depressive symptoms are distinct, but partly overlapping constructs. The current study examined whether clusters of loneliness and depressive symptoms could be identified through latent profile analysis in two samples of 417 and 1140 adolescents (48.40 and 48.68 % male, respectively), on average 12.47 and 12.81 years old, respectively. Four clusters were identified, (1) low on loneliness and depressive symptoms, (2) low on loneliness and high on depressive symptoms, (3) high on loneliness and low on depressive symptoms, and (4) high on loneliness and depressive symptoms. We found that these four clusters were differentially related to friendship quantity and quality as well as to happiness and self-esteem. The current study stresses the importance of assessing both loneliness and depressive symptoms, as their mutual relation within individuals is differentially related to various aspects of adjustment.

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Acknowledgment

This research was supported through Grant GOA/12/009 (‘STRATEGIES’ project) of the ‘BOF’ (Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds, KU Leuven), by the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Ph.D. fellowship of the Research Foundation - Flanders) and by the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (451-12-038).

Authors’ Contributions

A.S. conceived of the study, participated in its design, performed the statistical analyses, interpreted the data, and drafted the manuscript. G.L. acquired data, was involved in concept and design of the study, assisted with and checked the analysis, and critically revised the manuscript. L.G. conceived of the study, and critically revised the manuscript. P.B. conceived of the study, and critically revised the manuscript. M.V. was involved in concept and design of the study, conceived of the study, and critically revised the manuscript. M.B. acquired data and critically revised the manuscript. R.S. was involved in concept and design of the study, participated in the interpretation of the data and critically revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Box 3717, 3000, Louvain, Belgium

    Annette W. M. Spithoven, Luc Goossens, Patricia Bijttebier & Margot Bastin

  2. Interuniversity Centre for Social Science Theory and Methodology, Department of Sociology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Gerine M. A. Lodder

  3. Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Maaike Verhagen & Ron H. J. Scholte

  4. Praktikon, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Ron H. J. Scholte

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  1. Annette W. M. Spithoven
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  2. Gerine M. A. Lodder
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Correspondence to Annette W. M. Spithoven.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or National Research Committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Spithoven, A.W.M., Lodder, G.M.A., Goossens, L. et al. Adolescents’ Loneliness and Depression Associated with Friendship Experiences and Well-Being: A Person-Centered Approach. J Youth Adolescence 46, 429–441 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0478-2

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