Exploration of loneliness linked with automatic thoughts during COVID-19 outbreak

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 outbreak decreases the amount of daily routine and lifestyle. Loneliness is stemming from a deficiency of social contact and social connectedness. As a result, adolescents are prone to loneliness during the outbreak. In addition, loneliness influences the emerging automatic thoughts in the cognitive domain. This research aims to explore the psychological perspective on loneliness experienced by adolescents during the COVID-19 outbreak. The research was conducted on 165 adolescents aged 12 -18 who actively engage in social media. Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA) was used to obtain the data. The Z-score shows that social loneliness has a more significant effect on adolescents. The study indicated that loneliness is associated with automatic thoughts and need fulfilments. Participants' automatic thoughts are acquired and discussed further. © 2023 Author(s).