British scientists from King’s College London and the University of Greenwich have discovered that loneliness in early adolescence undermines a person’s future socio-economic status. The study was published in a peer-reviewed journal magazine Social Sciences and Medicine (SSM).
Research shows that single young people are more likely to be uneducated, unemployed or uneducated, to see themselves as unable to work, and to be lower on the social ladder than their more socially successful peers.
Researchers tracked the development of 2,232 people born in England and Wales between 1994 and 1995. The loneliness levels and social status of people aged 12, 18 and 26 were evaluated. Participants’ employment status and employability were assessed at age 18.
“While loneliness has a clear impact on mental health from an early age, our research shows that loneliness also negatively impacts a person’s employment prospects. Age and loneliness can have indirect consequences on a person’s ability to compete in the labor market. This not only reduces a person’s life chances, but also directly harms the economy,” said the study’s lead author, Bridget Bryan, Ph.D.
Previous scientists in the name Key factors of happiness and enjoyment of life.