Einsamkeitserfahrungen junger Menschen – nicht nur in Zeiten der Pandemie

In recent years, the topic of loneliness has gained significance in scientific and political discourses. Thus, there are now numerous research papers and publications on loneliness in old age, which are also particularly perceived in the public and political discussion. Empirical findings are intended to support this perception. Based on data from the Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP) from 2016, the Third Participation Report of the German government underlines that 16% of the respondents often feel lonely and among people with impairments it is even 31%. Since the coronavirus pandemic an increase in experiences of loneliness has been noted due to mandated regulations on social distancing. A study by the EU Commission’s Scientific Service concluded that 25% of EU citizens felt lonely after the first months of the pandemic compared to 12% in 2016 (regular survey of family, gainful employment, politics and health, with about 15,000 participating households or 30,000 persons). In northern European countries the proportion of lonely people has even quadrupled since the beginning of the pandemic. Gradually, the realization is becoming established that loneliness is not a rare phenomenon even among young people but it is gaining above average importance in this age group during the pandemic. This paper analyzes experiences of loneliness of young people especially based on the research results from the studies JuCo I–III on the living situation and experiences of adolescents and young adults during the corona pandemic and concludes by discussing which further research needs can be derived from this.