Photo: Mostphotos

In this Swedish longitudinal cohort study, a group of researchers from Stockholm University and Karolinska Institutet examine the relationship between loneliness, belonging, and psychosomatic complaints among individuals transitioning from late adolescence to young adulthood. The study assessed three psychosomatic complaints: headaches, stomach aches, and sleeping difficulties.

Karina Grigorian. Photo: Stockholm University

Support initiatives focussing on improving social connectedness should be prioritised

“Our findings indicate that higher levels of loneliness are linked to increased youth psychosomatic complaints, while high belonging is associated with lower levels of such complaints,” says Karina Grigorian, PhD student at the Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University.

Four groups of participants

Additionally, the researchers used the dual continuum model of belonging and loneliness (proposed by Dr. Michelle H Lim et al., 2020) to categorise the individuals that were being investigated. The participants were divided into four groups, depending on their respective states of loneliness and belonging: socially fulfilled (low loneliness, high belonging), socially indifferent (low loneliness, low belonging), socially searching (high loneliness, high belonging), and socially distressed (high loneliness, low belonging). The findings indicated that simultaneously experiencing high loneliness and low belonging (the socially distressed group) represents the most vulnerable situation for youth mental health.

“The application of this model uncovered more nuanced relationships with psychosomatic complaints, showing that lonely individuals and those experiencing low belonging are not homogeneous groups,” Grigorian says.

Loneliness and belonging interact

According to this study, loneliness and belonging appear as two distinct but related indicators of social connectedness. The findings highlight that loneliness and belonging are not simply each other’s opposites, and it is therefore important to understand how they interact if we are to improve mental health outcomes.

“Social relations and the feelings of loneliness and belonging can change a lot during this period in life. It is therefore important to support adolescents in these areas. Support initiatives focussing on improving social connectedness should be prioritised,” Grigorian says.

The results also showed that general factors like school and work are important for young people’s social connectedness. Strengthening youth opportunities in education and work will therefore also likely have positive effects when it comes to reducing loneliness and enhancing belonging and improving mental health in this group.

Håkan Soold