Both family and peer relationships matter in late adolescence: A network analysis of loneliness and social connection in a UK cohort

Introduction: Adolescents from low socioeconomic backgrounds report higher rates of loneliness than their peers from high socioeconomic backgrounds. Reasons for this vulnerability remain unclear. We investigated how peer bullying, family conflict, loneliness, and social connection relate at different levels of socioeconomic marginalisation. Methods: Using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Survey (N=2,531), we captured loneliness and social connection at 16-24 years and bullying and family conflict at 10-15 years. Network analysis tested item-level relationships whilst controlling for other variables. Previous investigations have not accounted for the exclusionary characteristics of low socioeconomic status, i.e., socioeconomic marginalisation. We calculated a socioeconomic marginalisation score using publicly available data to assess an individual’s income relative to their local community. We then compared loneliness and social connection networks to investigate potential differences. Results: The most central items in the full sample network were talking to family about worries, talking to friends about worries, and relying on friends (16-24 years), as well as peer bullying (10-15 years). Distinct facets of loneliness were linked to specific social connection and bullying experiences. For example, feeling left out was associated with feeling let down by friends (w=-.10), feeling less understood by friends (w=-.05). Whereas feeling isolated was associated with feeling less understood by family (w=-.11) and less understood by friends (w=-.04). Peer bullying related to feeling more left out (w=.05) and more isolated (w=.04). Some associations (e.g., feeling less let down and less criticised by family) were stronger in the high socioeconomic marginalisation group, who also reported more severe bullying. Conclusion: Evidence suggested family relationships remain important in late adolescence. Findings highlight the value of item-level dynamics for targeted support. In the context of public health policy, prevention and intervention measures should be tested that prioritise earlier bullying experiences and reflect the importance of both family and peer connection in late adolescence.