Loneliness and stable friendship in rejected and nonrejected preschoolers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of stable mutual friendship to self-reports of loneliness in preschoolers who had been nominated as rejected or nonrejected by their peers. Ninety-four 4- and 5-year-olds were classified into five peer status groups: controversial, neglected, average, popular, and rejected. In addition, the children were classified as having a stable mutual friendship, an unstable mutual friendship, or without mutual friends. Children in the rejected group rated themselves as lonelier than their neglected, popular, and average peers. However, rejected children who had a stable mutual friendship reported levels of loneliness that were similar to those of their nonrejected peers and less loneliness than those rejected children who lacked stable friendship. Loneliness in preschoolers is discussed in terms of the quality of their friendships and peer experience as well as their desire to be sociable