Alone and unaware

An ethnography of unidentified and unacknowledged youth loneliness

Bibliographic Data

ID2402899
AuthorsPablo Santaolalla Rueda (0000-0003-4158-3807, University of Alicante, corresponding author)
Year2025
Publication date2025-04-18
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEthnography (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1466-1381 • E-ISSN: 1741-2714
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/14661381251335848
OpenAlexW4409592009
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited35

This study explores the hidden experience of unwanted loneliness among youth in a hyperconnected yet emotionally disconnected digital world. Using reflexive ethnography, it examines how young people in Alicante, Spain, navigate loneliness across digital and physical spaces. The research combines (1) questionnaires with 268 participants; (2) in-depth interviews and focus groups with 16 young people; (3) UCLA Loneliness Scale assessments with 44 participants; and (4) ethnographic field notes. The study focuses on unidentified loneliness (unrecognized isolation) and unacknowledged loneliness (felt but unspoken). Through five focal life stories, it reveals how cultural, social, and gendered dynamics shape youth loneliness, often masked by digital interactions. Reflexive ethnography proves essential in exposing the contradictions between hyperconnectivity and isolation. Ultimately, this research underscores the need for safe, authentic spaces where young people can recognize and express their loneliness without stigma

Ethnography · Loneliness · Sociology · Anthropology · Gender Studies · Health disparities and outcomes · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology · Youth Education and Societal Dynamics

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