Loneliness in Children During the Pandemic: Our Clinical Psychologist Featured in Jacksonville Magazine

Posted by: Dr. Justin D'Arienzo, Psy.D., ABPP

Loneliness in Children During the Pandemic: Our Clinical Psychologist Featured in Jacksonville Magazine

Our Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Justin D’Arienzo, is featured in a recent issue of Jacksonville Magazine. In this article, Dr. D’Arienzo discusses how the pandemic and new social norms have affected our school-aged children. Many parents took their children out of extracurricular activities and brick-and-mortar schooling. This new ‘normal’ could be posing adverse effects on children’s social development. These feelings of loneliness can lead to mental health issues and social issues. Some of these issues include but are not limited to: feelings of isolation, anxiety, and loneliness. Dr. D’Arienzo states in the article, “The greatest challenge has been the social isolation from friends, significant others, and isolation from grandparents or from other vulnerable friends and relatives.” Feelings of loneliness are a risk factor for depression and anxiety, meaning, children might be more at risk for developing depression and anxiety this year than other years. Dr. D’Arienzo goes on to state, “isolation, quarantining, and social distancing protects children and adults from COVID-19, but these practices fuel a sense of loneliness for many children who otherwise rely upon peer support and interaction for development, sense of belonging, growth, and general well-being.” It is imperative that parents and teachers are learning coping strategies to help our school-aged children with feelings of loneliness. This article is a must-read and can be found here.

Jacksonville Magazine Article by Gabby Ervin, January 2021