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Loneliness in children: Behavioural, interpersonal and cognitive correlates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2015

Clare M. Roberts  and
Diane Quayle
Clare M. Roberts*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology
Diane Quayle
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology
*
School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, PERTH Western Australia 6001, Phone: 61 8 9266 7992, Fax: 61 8 9266 2464, E-mail: c.roberts@psychology.curtin.edu.au
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Abstract

This study investigated the associations that three behavioural patterns, peer acceptance and rejection, friendships, and self-depreciating attributions have with children’s reports of loneliness at school. Data were collected from 214 children who were 11- to 12-years-old. Classmates provided peer perceptions of prosocial, aggressive, and withdrawn behaviour and rated sociometric status. Children themselves provided data on mutual friendships, feelings of loneliness, and attributions for social success ond failure. Regression analyses indicated that withdrawn behaviour and lack of friends were significant predictors of loneliness. Rejected children were significantly more withdrawn, less cooperative, and lonelier than were other groups of children. Internal, stable attributions for social failure were associated with more loneliness at school. However, no significant associations were found between reports of loneliness and attribution patterns for social success. Intervention for socially rejected children may be specifically warranted when the child shows withdrawn behaviour.

Keywords

AttributionLonelinessPeer NominationPeer RejectionSocial Behaviour
Type
Research Article
Information
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , 2001 , pp. 9 - 25
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Psychological Society 2001

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