Join the Loneliness Study

We are looking for young people aged 12 - 15 years old, to take part in a research project to learn about the impacts of social interaction on loneliness. This is a smartphone-based study that would last for around 2 weeks, and volunteers can be compensated up to £20 for their time and engagement.

Loneliness in adolescence is a prevalent and important public health issue, with higher levels of loneliness linking to negative mental and physical health outcomes, such as anxiety and poor sleep quality. How social media and online social interactions link to loneliness is particularly understudied in young people.

Loneliness in the digital world. Image with animated characters with phones, with text: We are looking for young people who are members of Generation Scotland, or willing to join, to take part in our research project to learn about the impacts of social interaction on their loneliness for about 2 weeks. You will be compensated up to £20 for your time and engagement.
Loneliness in a Digital World. We are looking for young people who are members of Generation Scotland (or willing to join) to take part in our research project to learn about the impacts of social interaction on their loneliness.

What is the purpose of the study?

We are all spending increasing amounts of time online and there are mixed views about whether digital social interactions are positive or negative. We would like to look at this in more detail and measure young people’s feelings of loneliness throughout the day in relation to different interactions. This will allow us to understand more about how digital social interactions impact mental health.

We want to find out the impacts of online or in-person social interaction on adolescent loneliness and their mental health. We would like young people aged 12-15 to join our smartphone-based study for two weeks and share their experiences with us.

Two Young People Advisory Group members presenting about Loneliness in the digital world
Two Young People Advisory Group members presenting about the study - Loneliness in the digital world

More details on the purpose and importance of this study are featured in an article by aye mind: Loneliness in the Digital World, an initiative focused on improving mental health and wellbeing of young people through using digital resources. Visualised below.

Can I take part?

Anyone aged 12-15 living in Scotland can join!

We are part of a larger health study called Generation Scotland, therefore to join this study you first sign up to Generation Scotland. ​Generation Scotland has helped answer research questions related to mental health, cancer, covid and lots more. Joining this study will help us better understand mental health.

No worries if you don’t have your own mobile phone, we will provide you with one to return at the end of the study.

What's involved?

To be part of this study, first, you need to sign up for Generation Scotland, and then you can join this project. Once you agree to join, download the 'LifeData' App on your phone (which we can help you with). Make sure to turn on notifications from the app so you get our prompts during the day.

You will receive four daily questionnaires for the duration of two weeks, and each questionnaire will take less than a minute to complete.

You'll get a voucher to say thank you for being part of this study and sharing your time and effort.

Aye Mind feature the Loneliness Study

Small boy with title: Loneliness in the Digital World - A generation scotland study
Animations with text bubbles reading: Loneliness has been identified as an important public health issue, peaking during adolescence. Previous research has suggested that social interaction is a key factor in loneliness, and positive social interaction can act as protective against loneliness.
2 girls with phones, with speech bubbles reading: Some research has suggested that an increase in social media use is linked to an increase in loneliness and mental illness; however, others have suggested no meaningful association.. and some of the young people involved in our advisory group stated that they have developed new friendships through digital platforms. We want to learn about how different types of social interaction, both positive and negative, in-person and online, impact mental health.

STV feature of the Loneliness Study

Mental Health Professor from the University of Edinburgh, Heather Whalley, talking about the loneliness project.
STV featured the launch of the Loneliness Study. An amazing Young Person Advisory Group member, and the researchers behind the project, explain the importance of this study for understanding the mental health of this generation.
Watch volunteers and researchers talk about the Loneliness Study

This article was published on