Description

Welcome to Mind the Kids, the podcast where research meets real-world practice in child and adolescent mental health. Hosted by Dr. Jane Gilmore, Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Child Development Programme Director at UCL, and Professor Umar Toseeb, expert in child and adolescent mental health and special educational needs, each episode dives into the latest topics from the research literature. Join us as we engage with leading authors and sift through the data, dilemmas, and debates—leaving you with practical takeaways for both academics and practitioners. In this episode, “Only the Lonely”, Jane and Umar talk to Professor Roz Shafran, Emeritus Professor of Population, Policy & Practice. Population, Policy & Practice Dept. UCL GOS Institute of Child Health. They discuss the complexities of loneliness, covering definitions of loneliness, its heterogeneous nature, risk factors, the importance of screening, and potential interventions. The conversation emphasises the need for a nuanced understanding of loneliness and the necessity for effective strategies to address it. Whether you’re a researcher, educator, clinician, or simply passionate about supporting young minds, Mind the Kids is your essential guide to understanding and improving the mental health of children and adolescents.

Learning Objectives

1. Loneliness in adolescence is common and developmentally significant.

2. Loneliness is distinct from social isolation and is not simply a lack of social contact.

3. Loneliness can be adaptive or problematic, and chronic loneliness can perpetuate itself through behaviors like social withdrawal or self-blame.

4. Digitalization of social connection has complex effects, highlighting a distinction between "thin" (superficial) and "deep" (intimate) connections.

5. Loneliness is heterogeneous and difficult to spot.

6. Interventions need to be modular and individualized.

Paper Link

https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.14097