1. Loneliness in Students’ Own Words
Stephanie Burris & Benjamin Sargent ~ Faculty Advisor: Dr. Khanh Bui
Social Science Division
INTRODUCTION
METHOD
Participants
(29 total; 11 men, 18 women)
Procedure
Moderators
Focus Groups
(lasted minutes)
RESULTS
2017 National College Health Assessment II
“Hi” friends
“There's a lot of hi friends at Pepperdine." So all you do is say, "Hi, how are you?" And then you kind of walk away. But there's not really a lot of meaningful interaction sometimes.”
Perceptions of in-group vs.
out-group
“I feel like Pepperdine, in general, we're not a very accepting, I guess, community. It's kind of just a front that we are, but I feel like, obviously, it's not
very diverse. And I feel like a lot of the gay issues, issues like in LGBT, that's just kind of swept under the rug.”
Physical isolation of Pepperdine
“I think the language used around the setting of Pepperdine, not the beauty, but the location, the fact that it can feel like a cage.”
Concurrent depression and anxiety
I've suffered a lot of bouts of depression and anxiety, specifically, so I don't know how much of it is me, and how much of it is the normal vibes around the campus.”
...on physical health.
Loneliness is as bad as...
Brandon VanDyke:
Senior, psychology major, moderated 1 all-male
focus group.
Hayley St. Martin:
Senior, psychology major, moderated 2 all-female
focus groups.
Socially isolating situations
“Some people who are alone tend to hate themselves for it thinking that they're the problem. And then they tend to hate other people who don't try to help them through it.”
Maintaining a social image
1. Students discussed loneliness.
“We have an image to fulfill, and I see that drastically throughout campus. I feel like it's everywhere. We're supposed to have the happy-all-the-time expectations.”
What do you think about the issue of loneliness at Pepperdine?
What does loneliness feel like to you?
Can you recall talking to anyone at Pepperdine about feeling lonely? If yes, what kinds of things did you say?
Pepperdine’s dating culture
“That whole culture is so strong here that it almost feels like if you're single at Pepperdine, there's something wrong with you, there's people that don't want you.”
Pepperdine’s Christian environment
2. Students
listed
words
related to loneliness.
3. Students offered suggestions for
future
focus
groups.
Loneliness also decreases sleep quality and increases daytime dysfunction.
“So that's why now being alone, for me, is a matter of having peace of mind, of relaxing, of meditating with God.”
Data Analysis
Purpose
This study sought to understand loneliness in students’ own words.
It is a first study in a series of studies that attempt to help alleviate loneliness among college students.