Loneliness rises among older Icelandic pupils

Loneliness is increasing among pupils in grades 8 to 10 in Iceland, particularly girls, according to results from the Icelandic Youth Study reported by mbl.is.

Overall, 11% of pupils in grades 6 to 10 said they often feel lonely. The share has risen since 2024, reversing a decline that began in 2022. Among pupils in grades 8 to 10, the proportion increased from 14.7% to 17.1% for girls, and from 7.3% to 8.2% for boys.

Most pupils said they have good friends: 98% of those in grades 6 to 10 reported having one or more, as did 99% of pupils in grades 4 and 5.

The study was conducted in spring 2026 among pupils in grades 4 to 10. A total of 23,881 pupils from 153 primary schools took part. The overall response rate was 71.7%, and the rate at participating schools was 82.4%.