A developmental social neuroscience model for understanding loneliness in adolescence.
Loneliness is prevalent in adolescents. Although it can be a normative experience, children and adolescents who experience loneliness are often at risk for anxiety, depression, and suicide. Research efforts have been made to identify the neurobiological basis of such distressful feelings in our social brain. In adolescents, the social brain is still undergoing significant development, which may contribute to their increased and differential sensitivity to the social environment. Many behavioral studies have shown the significance of attachment security and social skills in adolescents' interactions with the social world. In this review, we propose a developmental social neuroscience model that extends from the social neuroscience model of loneliness. In particular, we argue that the social brain and social skills are both important for the development of adolescents' perceived loneliness and that adolescents' familial attachment sets the baseline for neurobiological development. By reviewing the related behavioral and neuroimaging literature, we propose a developmental social neuroscience model to explain the heightened perception of loneliness in adolescents using social skills and attachment style as neurobiological moderators. We encourage future researchers to investigate adolescents' perceived social connectedness from the developmental neuroscience perspective.
a Laboratory of Neuropsychology , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.|b Laboratory of Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.|c Institute of Clinical Neuropsychology , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.
Nichol M L
NML
Wong
d Faculty of Education , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.
Patcy P S
PPS
Yeung
a Laboratory of Neuropsychology , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.|b Laboratory of Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.|c Institute of Clinical Neuropsychology , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.|e The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.
Tatia M C
TMC
Lee
D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009769:Object Attachment; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012919:Social Behavior; D066107:Social Skills
Loneliness; adolescence; development; social connectedness; social neuroscience