Adolescent Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Pre-Pandemic Risk Factors

We examined pre-pandemic risk factors for loneliness and examined mediation and moderation models to identify potential disparities in loneliness among 369 adolescents. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms predicted early pandemic loneliness, whereas anxiety symptoms predicted mid-pandemic loneliness. Risk models generalized across races/ethnicities, while gender moderated or mediated different risk pathways.