Relationship Between Peer Victimization and Loneliness in Children and Youth: Promising Approaches

This chapter explores the inextricably linked relationship between peer victimization and loneliness in school-aged children and youth. Students who are lonely demonstrate solitary and withdrawn behaviors, have low self-esteem, few friends, and are generally more vulnerable to peer victimization. Chronic and prolonged victimization reinforces marginalization and helplessness, exacerbating the loneliness experience in these youngsters. Starting with an overview of the concepts of peer victimization (aka bullying) and loneliness, the author describes their adverse impacts, predictors, and correlates. The author reviews the extant literature on promising interventions for loneliness and peer victimization in children and youth within a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework. Specific interventions examined include social support interventions, cognitive behavioral approaches, and anti-bullying curriculum and programs.

Keywords: Children and youth, Correlates, Interventions, Loneliness, Peer victimization, Predictors.