A1 Journal article (refereed)
The cohort trends of social connectedness in secondary school students in Finland between 2017 and 2021 (2024)
Read, S., Salmela-Aro, K., Kiuru, N., Helenius, J., & Junttila, N. (2024). The cohort trends of social connectedness in secondary school students in Finland between 2017 and 2021. PLoS ONE, 19(10), Article e0312579. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312579
The research was funded by Strategic Research Council at the Research Council of Finland.
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Read, Sanna; Salmela-Aro, Katariina; Kiuru, Noona; Helenius, Jenni; Junttila, Niina
Journal or series: PLoS ONE
eISSN: 1932-6203
Publication year: 2024
Publication date: 28/10/2024
Volume: 19
Issue number: 10
Article number: e0312579
Publisher: Public Library of Science
Publication country: United States
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312579
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Open Access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/97914
Abstract
The aim was to investigate the cohort trends of the experienced social connectedness in secondary school students between 2017 and 2021 and whether these trends vary by gender, school level and sociodemographic background. We used nationally representative Finnish data of 450,864 students in lower and upper secondary education. Social connectedness was measured by number of close friends, feelings of loneliness and sense of belonging at school. Adjusted regression analyses included year, gender, school level and sociodemographic factors (parental education, immigrant status of the student and urban-rural area of the school). The results showed that social connectedness declined from 2017 to 2021: 11% decline in having 3+ close friends, 15% increase in loneliness and 8% decline in belonging at school. The decline was especially large in girls and upper secondary school. Although some socio-demographically disadvantaged groups showed lower levels of social connectedness, there were differences by gender, school level and year. Many differences diminished because the more advantaged groups declined faster, i.e. moved towards the less advantaged groups. Declining social connectedness in young people is a worrying trend that requires a public health focus on the whole cohort while accommodating the variation by the individual and environmental context.
Keywords: young people; education and training; intermediate grade education; social relations; social background; well-being; loneliness; togetherness; cohort study
Contributing organizations
Related projects
- Bridging the Gaps - Affective, cognitive, and social consequences of digital revolution for youth development and education
- Salmela-Aro, Katariina
- Research Council of Finland
- Copy/Kopio-Right to Belong: Tackling loneliness and ostracism during childhood and youth
- Kiuru, Noona
- Research Council of Finland
Ministry reporting: Yes
VIRTA submission year: 2024
Preliminary JUFO rating: 1
- Psychology (Department of Psychology PSY) PSY
- School of Wellbeing (University of Jyväskylä JYU) JYU.Well
- Behaviour change, health, and well-being across the lifespan (University of Jyväskylä JYU) BC-Well
- Multidisciplinary research on learning and teaching (University of Jyväskylä JYU) MultiLeTe
- Social Sustainability for Children and Families (University of Jyväskylä JYU) SOSUS
- Multidisciplinary research on learning and teaching (University of Jyväskylä JYU) MultiLeTe
- Behaviour change, health, and well-being across the lifespan (University of Jyväskylä JYU) BC-Well
- School of Wellbeing (University of Jyväskylä JYU) JYU.Well
- Social Sustainability for Children and Families (University of Jyväskylä JYU) SOSUS