Futurity · Health

Adolescent Loneliness Linked to Precarious Employment

New research suggests a connection between feeling lonely during adolescence and an increased risk of unstable employment in young adulthood. Schools may play a protective role in mitigating this link.

The study, involving researchers from the University of Michigan, University of Texas, and Korea University, found that teens feeling more connected to their schools were less likely to experience the association between loneliness and precarious employment later on. Attachment to neighborhoods did not show the same effect.

These findings suggest schools are important social environments that can foster relationships, confidence, and belonging, which may extend into adult work life.

Researchers examined precarious employment, which includes factors like unstable contracts, limited benefits, and less control over working conditions, rather than just job status or income.

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) was analyzed, focusing on siblings to control for shared family background factors.

The analysis confirmed that the link between adolescent loneliness and precarious employment persisted even after accounting for individual characteristics and family background.

Stronger school attachment appeared to weaken the association between adolescent loneliness and employment precarity, possibly because schools offer connections with supportive adults and pathways that influence the transition into adulthood.

The researchers emphasize that the study does not prove loneliness causes precarious employment, and loneliness was measured as a subjective experience of social disconnection.

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