Gen Z is the Loneliest Generation — and It’s Their Parents Fault

Gen Z is the most accomplished generation, but new data show they missed out on fun and family, leaving them more adrift than previous generations.

Daniel A. Cox April 11, 2022

A young woman with curly blond hair stands alone on a red and green athletic court.

Insider

Generation Z is impressive by any measure. They have more years of formal education and lower high-school dropout rates than any previous generation. They are more likely to avoid drug use and have lower rates of teen pregnancy. They are savvy consumers of information and users of technology. They are less prone to traffic in misinformation and conspiracy theories.

But despite all of these attributes, many Gen Zers are also incredibly lonely.

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Survey Reports

Generation Z and the Transformation of American Adolescence Cover Image

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Generation Z and the Transformation of American Adolescence: How Gen Z’s Formative Experiences Shape Its Politics, Priorities, and Future

This report explores the foundational differences between American generations through their formative adolescent experiences.

Young man sitting in a dark room before a wall featuring various conspiracy theory-related items illuminated by a computer screen

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America’s Crisis of Confidence: Rising Mistrust, Conspiracies, and Vaccine Hesitancy After COVID-19

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The Social Workplace: Social Capital, Human Dignity, and Work in America, Volume II

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An empty debate stage featuring red and blue podiums below a stage light face an audience of nearly-empty seats.

Daniel A. Cox, Ruy Teixeira
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The 2024 Presidential Election: Evolving Political Coalitions and Familiar Partisan Divisions

Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the AEI Survey Center on American Life conducted a national survey of Americans that explored a wide range of political attitudes, current voting preferences, and perceptions of the political parties.