Schools as lonely spaces: Loneliness and undesirable social connections. Loneliness is a prevalent, and increasing, problem among young Australians, with long-term physical and mental health consequen

Description

Schools as lonely spaces: Loneliness and undesirable social connections. Loneliness is a prevalent, and increasing, problem among young Australians, with long-term physical and mental health consequences. This project aims to investigate how young people experience loneliness within the physical, social, and emotional environment of high school. Loneliness is traditionally considered an absence of desired relationships; this project, with an innovative flipped focus to consider loneliness as the presence of undesirable relationships (e.g., bullies), expects to rectify a critical lack of knowledge about loneliness in young people. Expected outcomes include tested recommendations to better inform wellbeing policy and interventions in schools to support young people and create safer and more connected schools.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 4410 - Sociology. Lead: Dr Ben Lohmeyer