Schools are often thought of as safe havens where friendships bloom — but new research suggests the reality can be far more isolating.
A Flinders University study has revealed that schools, instead of being purely supportive spaces, can foster emotional loneliness among young people through harmful social dynamics like bullying and exclusion.
The research, co-designed with the South Australian Youth Forum, found that loneliness in schools is not always about being alone, but rather about being surrounded by peers who make students feel unsafe or unwelcome.
“Unlike older people, young people are often forced to spend extended periods of time around others they don’t get along with,” explained lead researcher Dr Ben Lohmeyer from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work. “So rather than loneliness being about isolation, in this case it can be about being surrounded by people who make you feel unsafe.”
The study draws on French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu’s theories to introduce the idea of “affective violence” — a form of emotional harm that stems not just from individual actions, but from school systems and social hierarchies themselves.
This perspective challenges the long-held view that bullying and loneliness are personal issues. Instead, the findings place them within broader systemic inequalities and emotional harm embedded in the school environment.
The research also echoes UNESCO’s recent stance on bullying as a systemic problem, not just a behavioural one. Dr Lohmeyer argues that loneliness deserves the same policy-level attention.
Practical solutions, such as safe retreat spaces for students — already used in South Australia’s Specialised Assistance School for Youth (SASY) — could help. But the researchers stress that a one-size-fits-all approach is not enough; a variety of strategies and further research are needed.
“Recognising loneliness as a form of social violence opens up new ways to support student wellbeing and challenges us to create emotionally safe and inclusive school environments,” Dr Lohmeyer said.
The study highlights a critical shift: if schools are to truly foster connection, they must first confront the emotional harm embedded in their own structures.
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