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REFLECTION OF LONELINESS IN THE ACADEMIC LIFE OF UNIVERSITY

STUDENTS

Ana Clara Lima Moreira1

Yohana Gabriele Silva Andrade2

Henrique Andrade Barbosa3

Sâmmyla Myllene Durães Leite4

Lamonielly Gomes Versiani5

Dinariam Gonçalves Silva6

Jhulie Silva Borges7

Sueli Antunes Aquino Cardoso Gonçalves8

Walter Luiz de Moura9

Matheus Siega Nepomuceno10

Rhaissa Gonçalves Souto11

Leniane Soares da Silva12

Larissa Gabriela Pereira Leão13

Wilson Ruas da Rocha Junior14

1 Faculty of Health and Humanities Ibituruna

2 Faculty of Health and Humanities Ibituruna

3 Faculty of Health and Humanities Ibituruna

4 Faculty of Health and Humanities Ibituruna

5 University Center of Northern Minas Gerais.

6 University Center of Northern Minas Gerais.

7 Prominas College.

8 Santo Agostinho College

9 Montes Claros State University

10 Integrated Colleges of Northern Paraná

11 Faculty of Health and Humanities Ibituruna

12 Montes Claros State University

13 Faculty of Health and Humanities Ibituruna

14 Montes Claros State University

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Flávia Mayra dos Santos15

Simone Guimarães Teixeira Souto16

Laudileyde Rocha Mota17

Abstract: Introduction: Loneliness transcends the mere absence of social interaction, manifesting

itself even in contexts of coexistence, especially when the relationships established lack depth or

satisfaction in the university environment, this reality becomes particularly evident. Objective:

to identify the levels of loneliness among university students. Materials and methods: This is a

descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, aimed at the objective analysis of the collected data.

The information was collected through a questionnaire, generating numerical data. The study was

conducted at the FASI/FUNORTE university center. The target audience was students of the courses

offered by these institutions, totaling 3,780. Of this total, 265 were randomly selected academics. The

FASI and FUNORTE faculties authorized the collection of data through the signing of the TCI and

the participants were informed about the goals and guarantees of condentiality, giving their consent

through the TCLE. Conclusion: It was possible to afrm that the objective was fully achieved in view

of the data obtained during the research and proven by the number of 99.6% of university students

who feel alone, an alarming and worrying number.

Keywords: Loneliness. Mental health. College students.

15 University Center of Northern Minas Gerais.

16 Montes Claros State University

17 Santo Agostinho College

INTRODUCTION

Loneliness transcends the mere absence of social interaction, characterizing itself as a

condition of isolation even in contexts of coexistence, especially when the established relationships

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lack depth or satisfaction. In the university environment, this reality becomes particularly pronounced.

evident (BARROSO; SOUSA; ROSENDO, 2023).

Entering university represents a signicant milestone in the pursuit of autonomy. However,

this phase is often accompanied by intense emotional pressure, insecurity, and uctuations in self-

esteem.a(VIEIRA, 2024). The accumulation of fatigue throughout the academic journey can generate

frustrations regarding personal and professional plans, leading to isolation and compromising academic

performance. This condition fosters the emergence of feelings of loneliness, negative thoughts, mood

swings, and exhaustion.(MACEDO, 2023).

Studies indicate that mental health problems directly impact the learning process, as each

disorder has its own characteristics, affecting each student’s learning in numerous ways. (VISTA,

2024).Furthermore, there is evidence that such disorders can negatively affect family relationships,

hindering the building of affective bonds at a crucial time in academic life (LEITE et al., 2024).

Due to their vulnerability, university students are more prone to facing psychological

problems, which in the long term can lead to unhappy adults who are emotionally distant and have

difculty maintaining meaningful relationships. Over time, this detachment extends to fundamental

aspects of well-being, such as family life, friendships, and even spirituality (SILVA et al., 2021).

Although often associated with negative aspects, solitude can also have a positive side. It

offers the opportunity to cultivate autonomy, allowing the individual to make decisions based on their

own values and needs, according to what they consider most appropriate for themselves at the moment

(KUETE, 2024).

Lately, loneliness has been increasing signicantly and negatively impacting student life.

(BARROSO; SOUSA; ROSENDO, 2023).Therefore, it is necessary to create intervention strategies

to identify levels of loneliness among university students, a topic frequently neglected by higher

education institutions despite its growing relevance in the contemporary academic context. This often

invisible phenomenon directly impacts students’ mental health and performance, contributing to

academic journeys marked by emotional conicts, adaptation difculties, and exhaustion. This study

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seeks to contribute to the scientic literature on the subject, giving visibility to a silenced reality, and

aimed to identify levels of loneliness among university students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, focused on the objective analysis

of the collected data. The study was conducted at the FASI university center.FUNORTEThe target

audience was the academics enrolled in courses offered by these institutions, totaling 3,780. Of this

total, 265 were randomly selected academics, with the inclusion criteria being: university students

who were willing to participate in the research and were duly enrolled in the faculty. The exclusion

criteria were: rst-semester students who do not yet have adequate experience to evaluate and answer

the questionnaire. The FASI and FUNORTE colleges authorized the data collection through the

signing of the Informed Consent Form (ICF), and the participants were informed about the goals and

guarantees of condentiality, giving their consent through the Informed Consent Form (ICF).

For data collection, a form created on the Google Forms platform was used, which contained

two main instruments: a sociodemographic questionnaire,The study aimed to characterize the

participants’ prole, and the UCLA Loneliness Questionnaire, created by Daniel W. Russell, was

used to assess levels of loneliness among university students. The data obtained were subsequently

organized and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0

software, allowing for descriptive and inferential analyses according to the study’s objectives. The

investigation followed the guidelines of Resolution No. 466/2012 of the National Health Council

(CNS). The research project was submitted to the Ethics Committee and approved with opinion

number 7,397,949 of February 20, 2025.

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RESULTS

The study involved 265 academics from the following courses: architecture and urban

planning, biomedicine, law, physical education, nursing, civil engineering, mechanical engineering,

pharmacy, speech therapy, veterinary medicine, medicine, nutrition, dentistry, and psychology.

Table 1. Sociodemographic prole of the academics participating in the study (n = 265).

Variables n %

Age range

18 to 25 years old 200 75,5

26 or more 65 24,5

Sex/gender

Feminine 216 81,5

Masculine 48 18,1

Other 10,4

Marital status

Without a partner 226 85,3

With partner 39 14,7

Income

Up to 1 minimum wage 184 69,4

More than one minimum wage 81 30,6

Course periods

Initials (2nd, 3rd and 4th) 87 32,8

Intermediate (5th to 8th grade) 98 37,0

Finals (9th to 12th) 80 30,2

It works?

Try 139 52,5

No 93 35,1

Possibly 33 12,5

Do you have a religion?

No 23 8,7

Try 242 91,3

Total 265 100

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Source: Research data, 2025.

Based on the data collected during the research, it is clear that the majority of respondents

are between 18 and 25 years old (75.5%), a result that represents the young proles of academics. It is

also possible to observe the predominance of women (81.5%) in answering the questionnaire; this data

shows the national propensity for women in higher education, as pointed out by [reference needed]. A

large part (85.3%) of the students interviewed do not have a partner. Regarding salary (69.4%), they

have an income of up to one minimum wage. As for the stage of their studies, the largest number of

respondents are in intermediate stages; it is also observed that (52.2%) have jobs. This information

reveals the fact that many students have to balance studies and work, which can directly impact their

mental health and [other factors].consequentlyaffect their academic performance, as discussed in a

study from a federal university in the northern interior.8And about (91.3%) of the students cling to

some kind of Faith in search of refuge.

Table 2.Presence of loneliness among university students participating in the study (n = 265).

Loneliness Frequency Percentage

Absent 10,4

Present 264 99,6

Total 265 100,0

Source: Research data, 2025.

This result of (99.6%) indicates a high incidence of loneliness among the research participants.

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Table 3. Presence of loneliness according to sociodemographic characteristics.

Variables Loneliness P Value

Absent Present

Age range 0,568

18 to 25 years old 1 199

26 or more 065

Sex/gender 0,892

Feminine 1215

Masculine 0 40

Other 0 1

Marital status 0,677

Without a partner 1 225

With partner 039

Income 0,506

Up to 1 minimum wage 1 183

More than one minimum wage 0 81

Course periods 0,313

Initials 087

Intermediaries 098

Finals 179

It works? 0,634

Try 1138

No 093

Possibly 033

Do you have a religion? 0,757

Try 1241

No 023

Total 265

Source: research data, 2025

The research indicated an extremely high prevalence of loneliness among university students,

with 99.6% reporting feelings of loneliness, a number far higher than that of other Brazilian studies.

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DISCUSSION

The data from this study reveal a worrying reality: 99.6% of participating university students

report feeling lonely. These factors reinforce the widespread presence of loneliness in academic life,

showing that this reality is often neglected by these institutions. This gure surpasses the results of

research such as that conducted in 2020. (OLIVEIRA; BARROSO, 2020), who detected considerable

levels of loneliness in approximately 76.5% of university students. However, many students who

experience this feeling reveal several negative effects.

PFor example, a study with 268 university students from Minas Gerais found that 60.82%

had minimal levels of loneliness, while the rest presented mild to intense levels, and another with 574

students revealed that 53% experience loneliness, showing that a signicant portion of the sample

faced higher levels of loneliness.This point reinforces the study conducted in 2023 (LEITE et al.,

2024), which found a high rate of loneliness among approximately 46.7% of university students. This

number only increases over time, and this loneliness can develop into other mental health disorders

among these students.

The predominance of women in this research is not so surprising since, according to IBGE

data from 2019 (PNS, 2019), women tend to seek more...he could in matters related to mental health.

This justies the greater participation of women in responding to the survey; however, the absence

of a statistically signicant connection between sex/gender and loneliness suggests that this feeling is

not restricted to a specic group, but is a shared experience within the university context.

Similarly, factors such as age, marital status, income level, course duration, employment,

and religious beliefs do not show signicant associations with the presence of loneliness. These

results suggest that this feeling should be seen as a complex phenomenon that goes far beyond this.

in additionwhich social and economic aspects. This is also associated with the emotional state and

experiences that academics deal with on a daily basis.

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CONCLUSION

The study’s main objective was to identify levels of loneliness among university students,

and it was possible to afrm that the objective was fully achieved based on the data obtained during

the research, conrmed by the alarming and worrying number of 99.6% of university students who

feel lonely.

These data conrm the urgent need for interventions from the educational institutions

themselves, requiring attention and actions aimed at improving emotional well-being and creating

more inclusive academic environments. Universities should consider initiatives that encourage

socialization, provide psychological support, and address socioeconomic aspects that can contribute

to reducing loneliness among university students.

We conclude from these results that women are more susceptible to loneliness because they

frequently play caregiver roles, thus increasing their emotional burden and propensity for isolation,

especially in contexts of greater pressure, such as academic or social settings. They are socially

encouraged to express emotions, including vulnerabilities, while men tend to repress these feelings

due to norms of masculinity.

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