Abstract:

The purpose of the present study was to examine children’s loneliness and social dissatisfaction in relation to social support in school, that is, personal and academic support by teachers and classmates. Participants were 221 fifth- and sixth-grade students from primary schools in Athens, Greece. They completed the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Scale (Greek version; Galanaki & Kalantzi-Azizi, 1999) and the Social Support subscales of the Classroom Life Measure (Johnson, Johnson, Buckman, & Scott-Richards, 1985). Results showed high feelings of loneliness and social dissatisfaction in the school, both of which were significantly associated only with personal support from classmates. The associations were stronger for sixth-grade students and girls. Results are discussed in light of the importance of interpersonal relations for the emergence of loneliness during late childhood. Some suggestions for educational practice are also made.

Publisher's Version