Loneliness and Depression among Polish High-School Students

Abstract

Introduction: Having impaired relations and limited interpersonal contact is associated with a sense of loneliness, and can result in a number of mental disorders, including the development of depression. Approximately one in five adolescents in the world suffers from depression, and first episodes of such are occurring at increasingly young ages. Due to a lack of appropriate support from parents, teachers and the healthcare system, the young person feels alone when dealing with their problem. Aims: The aims of this study are to determine the prevalence of anxiety, depression, aggression and sense of loneliness among high school students, and to analyze a correlation between loneliness and depression. Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 300 high school students in Poland. The study material was collected using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-M) and De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS). Results: A feeling of loneliness correlated significantly with depressive disorders (p < 0.005), with the strongest effect between the total HADS-M score and the total loneliness scale score (r = 0.61). The overall presence of disorders as per HADS-M was found to be 23%, and borderline conditions were found in 19.3%. In 24% of the students, disorders were revealed on the anxiety subscale and in 46.3% on the aggression subscale. On DJGLS, a very severe sense of loneliness was observed in 6.67% of the subjects, and in 42.3% of them, a moderate feeling of loneliness was indicated. On the social loneliness subscale, a severe sense of loneliness was found in 22.7%, while on the emotional loneliness subscale, it was found in 16.7% of the subjects. Conclusions: In this study, a quarter of the student participants experienced anxiety and depression disorders. Students showing higher levels of anxiety, depression, and aggression also showed enhanced loneliness. Girls showed higher levels of anxiety, depression and aggression, as well as emotional loneliness.

Depression among Polish medical students and its lifestyle-linked predictors

“…In this research an analogical relationship among male medical students was not statistically significant (p>0.05) [24]. A research carried out among 300 Polish high school students showed a link between feeling of emotional loneliness (described by a lack of satisfying social relationships) as well as social loneliness (described by a lack of social gatherings) and depression, anxiety, and aggressive behaviors [25]. Anuradha R et al in their study including 700 medical students from India stated the feeling of loneliness as one of the two most important psychosocial stressors (the second one was family problems) [26].…”

“…Our study showed a link between a subjective feeling of not participating in social meetings often enough and major depression. A link between depression and social loneliness (described by a lack of social gatherings) was found by Dziedzic B among 300 polish highschool students [25]. An analogical correlation was found among medical students in a study carried out by Silva V et al who found a link between low satisfaction from social gatherings and persistent depression [34].…”

Loneliness and Satisfaction with Life among Nursing Students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The scale comprises 11 diagnostic statements and is partially balanced. Six items contain negative statements (2,3,5,6,9,10), describing lack of satisfaction with social contacts (social loneliness). In contrast, the other five statements are positive (1,4,7,8,11) and they measure satisfaction from one's interpersonal relations (emotional loneliness).…”

“…Polish studies have shown that two out of three women have experienced loneliness during the pandemic [9]. The findings of other studies have shown a strong sense of social loneliness in 22.7% of students under study, and 16.7% reported a strong sense of emotional loneliness [10]. Many studies have focused on seeking predictors of emotional and social loneliness.…”

Anxiety, Loneliness, Drug Craving, and Depression Among Substance Abusers in Sichuan Province, China

“…Early detection of depression tendencies and mild depression could allow for timely and positive intervention, which could prevent further depression of depression, it is of great significance to find a rapid, objective, and accurate diagnosis of depression and the best treatment for affected individuals. Recently, many empirical studies have found that anxiety, loneliness, drug craving, and depression are significantly positively correlated and affect each other among different groups of people ( Chen et al, 2017 ; Xiao et al, 2018 ; Wolitzky-Taylor and Schiffman, 2019 ; Chen et al, 2021 ; Dziedzic et al, 2021 ; Kara et al, 2021 ). This study intended to further explore the mechanism of loneliness and drug craving in the relationship between anxiety and depression in drug users.…”