The Bloomsbury Handbook of Solitude, Silence and Loneliness is the first major account integrating research on solitude, silence and loneliness from across academic disciplines and across the lifespan. The editors explore how being alone – in its different forms, positive and negative, as solitude, silence and loneliness – is learned and developed, and how it is experienced in childhood and youth, adulthood and old age. Philosophical, psychological, historical, cultural and religious issues are addressed by distinguished scholars from Europe, North and Latin America, and Asia.

This book explores adolescents' (10-18 years) experiences of silence, solitude, loneliness within the school setting. Although many studies explore social withdrawal and loneliness in adolescence, little is known about young people's experiences of solitude as a state of being alone. This book ties together cutting-edge research from developmental psychology and education on solitude in adolescence, and opens the way to a pedagogy of solitude and well-being. Sandra Leanne Bosacki explores concerns about how adolescents learn social and solitude skills and the extent to which such skills are harmful or helpful, including self-control and regulation, and self-compassion. The book further explores implications of solitude studies for practice and provides recommendations for future research and education. Holistic models of education are encouraged to promote a balance of social and solitude skills that combines social management with self-regulation and self-compassion.