Loneliness and its associations with anger and aggression in Russian adolescents

Comparatively little is known about the associations between loneliness and anger and aggression in adolescence. This study examined whether anger and aggression are elevated in lonely adolescents. Data were analyzed from 2838 Russian school students (mean age 14.89). Loneliness was assessed with a single-item measure. Information was collected on physical and verbal aggression, relational aggression, anger rumination and trait anger using scale measures. In a full path analysis, higher loneliness was positively associated with all forms of anger and aggression. After adjustment for depressive symptoms and peer victimization, the associations became either non-significant (trait anger, relational aggression) or negative (physical and verbal aggression). In contrast, although the strength of the association was reduced, anger rumination remained significantly associated with loneliness. These findings indicate that the relationships between loneliness, anger, and aggression are complex in Russian adolescents, with depressive symptoms and peer victimization influencing these associations.