Impact of the Heartfulness program on loneliness in high schoolers: Randomized survey study

High levels of loneliness are prominent in teenagers ranging from ages 14–19. The 4‐week Self‐Care program, offered by the Heartfulness Institute, is designed to develop social–emotional skills and self‐observation. This study examined the impact of the Self‐Care program on loneliness in high school students in the United States in a randomized, wait‐list control trial with baseline and postintervention assessments. High school participants, aged 14–19, were randomized into a control‐wait‐listed group (n = 54) and a Heartfulness group (n = 54). Both the groups completed the intervention and the presurveys and postsurveys online, assessing their loneliness with the UCLA Loneliness Scale. The initial analysis noted the baseline equivalence of the data. A repeated measures ANOVA found a significant time * group interaction, with a significant decrease in loneliness reported in the Heartfulness Intervention group but no significant pre–post difference in the control group. In summary, the short online intervention program consisting of self‐care tools decreased loneliness scores in the participants. This study opens up a new valley of possibilities, apart from existing research, and demonstrates that the online intervention used might be helpful to decrease loneliness levels in teens.