The role of peers and families in predicting the loneliness level of adolescents
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY, vol.137, no.2, pp.179-193, 2003 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 137 Issue: 2
- Publication Date: 2003
- Doi Number: 10.1080/00223980309600607
- Journal Name: JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
- Page Numbers: pp.179-193
- Keywords: family, loneliness, peer relations, Turkish adolescents, SELF-DISCLOSURE, PARENTS, MODEL, PERCEPTIONS, PATTERNS
- Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
The authors investigated the relative contribution of peer relations, family structure, and demographic variables in predicting loneliness in adolescents. Ninth-grade high school students (N = 756) from 8 different schools representing various socioeconomic status in Ankara, Turkey, completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale (D. Russell, L. A. Peplau, & M. L. Ferguson, 1978), the Family Structure Assessing Instrument (A. Gulerce, 1996), and an author-constructed questionnaire involving demographic information and variables on peer relations. Results of multiple regression analyses indicated that all three sets of variables accounted for 41% of the variance in loneliness scores. Additionally, peer relations contributed 34% of the variance, family structure 14%, and demographic variables 3%. Within the limits of the study, peer relations appear to be the best predictors of adolescent loneliness.