Tsukuba, Japan—Adolescents experiencing social isolation or loneliness are at increased risk of developing mental health problems, highlighting the need for preventive interventions before these challenges worsen. However, relatively few psychoeducational programs specifically address isolation and loneliness among adolescents, with most existing interventions focusing on individualized support.
To address this gap, the researchers developed e-BOCCHI, a school-based psychoeducational program designed to increase awareness of the diverse experiences of "being alone" while preventing social isolation and loneliness. Following implementation among second-year junior high school students, participants demonstrated statistically significant reductions in depressive symptoms and improvements in help-seeking skills compared with baseline. Although mean loneliness and self-esteem scores showed modest improvement, these changes were not statistically significant. Overall, the findings suggest that e-BOCCHI may promote cognitive reframing of "being alone," often viewed negatively, and strengthen adaptive interpersonal skills and help-seeking behaviors.
The findings also suggest that the program may encourage both individual cognitive and behavioral change but also collective reflection on attitudes toward "being alone." Future studies using more rigorous experimental designs are needed to establish the program's causal effects and long-term effectiveness.
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This work was supported by JST RISTEX "SOLVE for SDGs: Preventing Social Isolation & Loneliness and Creating Diversified Social Networks," Japan [grant number JPMJRX21K2].
Title of original paper:
Preliminary evaluation of a psychoeducational program for adolescents targeting loneliness and social isolation
Journal:
Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy
DOI:
10.1016/j.jbct.2026.100614
Visiting Professor TACHIKAWA, Hirokazu
Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba
Assistant Professor KUSHIBIKI, Natsuho
Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki University
Professor AIBA, Miyuki
Faculty of Human Sciences, Toyo Gakuen University
Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy
Preliminary evaluation of a psychoeducational program for adolescents targeting loneliness and social isolation
18-Jun-2026