Loneliness in Children and AdolescentsDefinition and Scope of LonelinessLoneliness is a common human emotion that involves an individual's awareness of a deficit in personal relationships (Asher & Paquette 2003, as cited by Dunn, Dunn, & Bayduza, 2007) combined with distress resulting from feelings of social isolation (Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010). Furthermore, Cherry (n.d.) described loneliness as a mental state associated with thoughts and feelings of emptiness and loneliness. The effect of loneliness in children can be mild in relatively short periods; However, over long periods, or in chronic loneliness, individuals suffer from lower self-esteem, sadness, separation from peers, and missed opportunities for enriched experiences (Bullock, 2003), and eventually experience emotional and psychological problems such as anxiety and depression (Jobe - Shields, Cohen, & Parra, 2011). In the most extreme situation, loneliness has been associated with suicide (Marano, 2003). According to Bullock (2003), many factors contribute to the onset of loneliness in children. Some factors included conflicts at home and with family, moving to a new home or school, divorce, as well as problems at school such as bullying, social skills deficits, and rejection by one's peer group. Additionally, a child with certain personality characteristics may be more prone to loneliness. Characteristics include anxiety, shyness, and low self-esteem (Bullock, 2003). Cacioppo (cited by Marano, 2003), explained that loneliness affects the quality of medical care provided by doctors, causes higher levels of perceived stress, has a negative impact on sleep and hinders cardiovascular functioning. As stated earlier, loneliness is not uncommon and as much as 80% ...... half of the paper ...... nttila, N. & Vauras, M. (2009). Loneliness among school-age children and their parents. The Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 50, 211-219Marano ,E. (2003). The dangers of loneliness | Psychology today. Retrieved June 6, 2012, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/the-dangers-lonenityRubin, K.H., Wojslawowicz, J.C., Rose-Krasnor, L., Booth-LaForce, C., & Burgess, K.B. (2006). Shy/withdrawn children's best friendships: Prevalence, stability, and relationship quality. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 34 (2) 143 - 157Shapiro, J. P., Friedberg, R. D., & Bardenstein, K. K. (2005). Child and Adolescent Therapy: Science and Art (1st ed.). Contributors to Wiley.Wikipedia. (2012, June 5). Loneliness. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lonelies&oldid=496138661