For a long time, loneliness seemed to be a phenomenon of old age – but the Corona period has put a lot of strain on young people in particular. And the feeling persists, as a recent survey shows. Family Minister Paus wants to tackle the problem.
According to a survey, many young people feel lonely. Around one in ten respondents (eleven percent) between the ages of 16 and 30 said in the study commissioned by the Bertelsmann Foundation that they were very lonely. A further 35 percent felt “moderately lonely.”
Depending on gender and age group, the values fluctuate between 33 percent and 51 percent. Young women are more likely to be affected by loneliness than young men. Loneliness is most severe between the ages of 19 and 22, it was said.
“General crisis mode” also a reason for loneliness
According to the information, the values are still significantly higher than those before the corona period. “The increase in loneliness therefore seems to be sustainable in this age group,” the experts concluded. The increase cannot be explained solely by the contact restrictions of the pandemic.
Changes in the conditions of growing up, changes in communication and social interactions, and a “general crisis mode” could all have an influence. It could also be that people change jobs and relationships more often than before or end them. Which of these causes has what impact needs to be further investigated. There are also signs that the number of contacts is now perceived as sufficient again – but not their quality.
Bertelsmann Foundation
The Bertelsmann Foundation was founded in 1977 by the entrepreneur Reinhard Mohn, then head of the Bertelsmann media group. According to the group, foundations, including the Bertelsmann Foundation, now hold just over 80 percent of the shares in the Bertelsmann Group, which includes the RTL Group, the music company BMG, the publishing group Penguin Random House and service businesses.
The Bertelsmann Foundation collects and analyses data for its studies and makes recommendations for action to the public and decision-makers. It works operationally, which means it does not support the work of third parties, but invests exclusively in projects it has initiated itself. According to its own statements, it serves the common good and is committed to political neutrality.
The lonelier the less satisfied with life
Overall, the age group between 16 and 30 years reported moderate life satisfaction. The value was 6.75 on a scale of zero (not at all satisfied) to ten (completely satisfied).
The lonelier someone feels, the lower their life satisfaction is. According to the study, young people who are divorced or widowed, have a low level of education, are unemployed, live in medium-sized cities or have a migrant background are particularly affected.
For the study, 2,532 young people aged 16 to 30 were surveyed online in March.
Paus: Loneliness also a threat to democracy
Family Minister Lisa Paus called loneliness an “underestimated phenomenon” that can also harm democracy in the long term. “Those who lose trust in society also lose trust in democracy, political participation decreases, as does the willingness to vote,” the Green politician told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), loneliness is just as harmful as obesity, smoking and air pollution.
Paus recently presented the current “Loneliness Barometer”, a study based on the long-term statistics of the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). According to the study, risk groups for loneliness are primarily people with high levels of stress and little support: caregivers or single parents, the unemployed, the poor and socially disadvantaged. Since Corona, more young adults, teenagers and children have been included in this group. “This finally deserves attention. We must take loneliness, including that of young people, seriously and act,” demands Paus.
Today, the minister is opening a week of action on the topic of loneliness. As part of this, there will be exemplary activities such as baking waffles together or making phone friends: “And I invite you to get involved with exactly these small but important local activities.”