Childhood Disadvantage and Loneliness Among Young People. Evidence from 27 EU Countries

Abstract Loneliness has emerged as a significant public health concern across Europe, yet evidence on its developmental determinants among young people remains limited. Drawing on attachment theory and life-course perspectives, this study examines whether childhood health, social, and family disadvantage are associated with frequent loneliness in young people aged 16–29, and whether these associations differ by gender. Using data from the 2022 EU Loneliness Survey, multilevel logistic regression models were estimated across 27 European countries. Poor peer integration during school years is most strongly and consistently associated with frequent loneliness across both genders, as are low parental closeness and exposure to family drinking. Gender-stratified analyses further reveal that these relational disadvantages show stronger associations among young females, while health-related household adversity, including family chronic illness and mental illness, shows stronger associations among young males. These associations remain robust across sensitivity analyses, including alternative model specifications and loneliness measures. The findings extend prior work on childhood disadvantage to the domain of social well-being, identifying peer and family relational contexts in childhood as significant correlates of loneliness in young people.