Loneliness as a potential consequence of the presence of children in the digital world

Authors:

• Agnieszka Iwanicka

Abstract

The feeling of loneliness is a condition that affects not only adults and youth, but also children. It may be a temporary and transient in nature, occurring as a response to external circumstances, although it can also be long-lasting, as long as months and years, and be a result of deep, traumatic childhood experiences. One of its most common sources is isolation of a child in a family, peer groups and at school. In the article, the author considersnwhether the sense of loneliness experienced by children can also be traced back to the media and the functioning of children in the digital environment. Thanks to the conductednqualitative study (focus interviews with children), the paper answers questions regarding how early school-age children perceive loneliness and isolation, and whether they link this phenomenon with digital media.