A developmental social neuroscience model for understanding loneliness in adolescence
Abstract
Loneliness is prevalent in adolescents. Although it can be a normative experience, children and adolescents who experience loneliness are often at risk for anxiety, depression, and suicide. Research efforts have been made to identify the neurobiological basis of such distressful feelings in our social brain. In adolescents, the social brain is still undergoing significant development, which may contribute to their increased and differential sensitivity to the social environment. Many behavioral studies have shown the significance of attachment security and social skills in adolescents' interactions with the social world. In this review, we propose a developmental social neuroscience model that extends from the social neuroscience model of loneliness. In particular, we argue that the social brain and social skills are both important for the development of adolescents' perceived loneliness and that adolescents' familial attachment sets the baseline for neurobiological development. By reviewing the related behavioral and neuroimaging literature, we propose a developmental social neuroscience model to explain the heightened perception of loneliness in adolescents using social skills and attachment style as neurobiological moderators. We encourage future researchers to investigate adolescents' perceived social connectedness from the developmental neuroscience perspective.
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The relative contribution of heritability to loneliness is likely to decrease during early adolescence.
“However, adolescent loneliness is reportedly associated with negative social relationships at school and home [14], and the relative contribution of heritability to loneliness is likely to decrease during early adolescence [15, 16].”
From Predictors of chronic loneliness during adolescence: a population-based cohort study (2022) · cites this paper as [15]
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- Authors
- Wong, N. M. L., Yeung, P. P. S., & Lee, T. M. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Corresponding author
- Lee, Tatia M. C.
- Venue
- Social Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2016-11-18
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 94-103
- ISSN
- 1747-0919 (ISSN-L)
- 1747-0927
- OpenAlex
- W2556025728
- Cited by
- 50
- References
- 70
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 0.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Early Career Scheme of Research Grants Council (HKU 757013H)
- The University of Hong Kong May Endowed Professorship in Neuropsychology
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- loneliness, adolescence, social brain, social skills, attachment security, attachment styles, brain development, social connectedness, neuroimaging
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Psychology, Adolescent, Brain, Humans, Loneliness, Models, Neurological, Models, Psychological, Object Attachment, Social Behavior, Social Skills
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