Gen Alpha kids aren’t making friends—a new study reveals why

Making friends is no longer as easy as sharing a juice box or pushing each other on the swing.

According to a new study, children these days are actually struggling to make new friends amid the ongoing loneliness epidemic, and parents have blamed barriers such as social anxiety or bullying as just some of the causes.

The CS Mott Children’s Hospital National Survey of Children’s Health, which surveyed 1,031 parents of children ages 6 to 12, found that one in five parents claimed their children have no friends or not enough friends, while 90% reported that their children would like to make more friends.

“Friendships can play an important role in children’s overall health and development, emotional well-being, self-esteem and social skills,” Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark said in a statement.

“But some parents say their children face barriers to making friends, such as personality, social anxiety, medical conditions or simply not having as many opportunities.”

The data showed that 21% of parents said their child’s being shy or awkward was a barrier to making friends, while 18% said their children “didn’t have time” to make friends.

Not having a place to hang out together (16%), other kids who already have their own friend groups (17%) and other kids who are mean (15%) were also listed as culprits difficulties in friendships, while medical conditions or disabilities accounted for less than 10% of responses.

“For some kids, making new friends can be stressful,” Clark explained. “Remember that children are still developing and practicing their social skills by making and maintaining friendships.

Fortunately, most parents are taking steps to help their kids cultivate new friendships, with 71% saying they’ve taken action in the past year by arranging play dates, signing their kids up for extracurricular activities , offering advice, befriending parents. who have children the same age as theirs, giving their children permission to use social media to connect with others and buying things to help their children “fit in”.

“Supporting children to make friends is a balance of guidance, encouragement and giving them space to navigate social situations independently,” Clark explained.

While levels of parental involvement can vary depending on their child’s needs, Clark also cautioned parents to only intervene “in matters of safety,” while urging parents “who choose to allow social media” to teach their children to “use them responsibly”.

More than a third of respondents also admitted they would prefer if their child befriended children from families with specific religious or political affiliations, according to the survey, which Clark warned against.

“School is often seen as a place where children will meet and bond with peers from different backgrounds, ideas, customs and ways of thinking,” she said.

“Limiting a child’s friends to only those of a similar background can hinder their ability and comfort to navigate diverse networks in the future.”