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Published Version (Advanced Access)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Modelling Adolescent Loneliness via Empathy, Social Goals and Social Capital: A Self-Determination Theoretical Perspective
Child and Youth Care Forum, Vol.Advanced access
21-Jan-2026
Abstract
Background
Adolescent loneliness is rising and linked to poorer psychosocial outcomes. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) highlights social-cognitive skills and social capital as relevant to social well-being. Using Associational Variable Analysis (AVA), this study examined whether theory-consonant associations among empathy, social goals, and social capital align with lower loneliness.
Objective
Evaluate the associational structure linking combined empathic concern and perspective-taking (ECPT), social achievement goals, social capital (trust, reciprocity, participation), and loneliness in mid-adolescence, and probe robustness via alternative specifications.
Methods
Students (N = 177; Mage = 14.19, SD = 0.37) completed self-reports of ECPT, social goals (development, demonstration-avoid, demonstration-approach), social capital, and loneliness. SEM (ML with FIML) tested the hypothesised model with AVA checks (direction-reversed variants; alternative social-capital structures). Complementary simultaneous regression reported semi-partial (unique) associations with loneliness.
Results
The retained model fit well, χ2 (15) = 21.45, p = .123; CFI = .98; RMSEA = .05, explaining R2 = .41 of Loneliness. ECPT related positively to Social Development and Demonstration-Avoid Goals. Social Development Goals related positively to Social Capital; Demonstration-Avoid related negatively; Demonstration-Approach showed a small positive association. Social Capital was strongly, negatively associated with Loneliness. Robustness checks produced comparable patterns; semi-partial results indicated Social Capital accounted for the largest unique share (sr2 = .21).
Conclusions
Within an AVA (non-causal) frame, findings are consistent with ECPT functioning as a scaffold aligning with mastery-oriented social goals and richer social capital associations linked to lower loneliness. Longitudinal and intervention research should test temporal ordering, mechanisms, and the roles of diversity and digital social capital.
Details
- Title
- Modelling Adolescent Loneliness via Empathy, Social Goals and Social Capital: A Self-Determination Theoretical Perspective
- Authors
- Helen Hall (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - PsychologyPrudence Millear - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - PsychologyMathew Summers - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Psychology
- Publication details
- Child and Youth Care Forum, Vol.Advanced access
- Publisher
- Springer New York LLC
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10566-026-09923-6
- ISSN
- 1573-3319; 1053-1890
- Copyright note
- This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
- Data Availability
- The data used in the research cannot be publicly shared but are available upon request. The materials used in the research cannot be publicly shared but are available upon request.
- Organisation Unit
- Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; School of Health - Psychology
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991202850802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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