The Associations Between Loneliness and Community College Student Well Being

Loneliness is a growing epidemic affecting an increasing number of people, with college students being at elevated risk compared to other populations (Zahedi et al., 2022). This is due in part to their removal from familiar surroundings and habits, as well as being placed in a situation where they must navigate new systems, environments, and establish new social connections. To address this issue, it is critical to examine variables that may contribute to loneliness as well as factors that buffer against it. The current study investigated the relationship between self-reported loneliness and the experiences and outcomes of community college students. Through regression analyses, we examined the relationship between loneliness and students’ sense of college belongingness, sense of purpose, educational and institutional engagement, and academic success. We further explored whether having a mentor is associated with a decreased risk of negative outcomes in these domains. Findings from this study, including a particular benefit of students receiving mentorship, have the potential to shed light on factors that may mitigate loneliness and promote the well-being and success of community college students. This study also identified loneliness as a vector for negative student outcomes both academically and in their personal well-being. The combination of variables explored in the current study suggests important potential implications. Specifically, with mentorship being a tool already in use within university and college settings, shifting resources to empower effective mentors to spread their influence and maximize their student contact may be beneficial.