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28-11-2023 | Original Article

A Multi-Method Analysis of the Role of Social Safety Behavior in Loneliness

Auteurs: Tapan A. Patel, Lauren A. Stentz, Jesse R. Cougle

Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research

Abstract

Background

Recent research has found a strong link between loneliness and social anxiety above and beyond other psychological constructs. Given these strong relationships, the present study sought to determine if mechanisms that maintain social anxiety may also play a role in loneliness. Specifically, the present study used two samples to explore the role of social safety behavior (SBs; behaviors intended to avoid, prevent, or manage threat) in loneliness.

Methods

In Study 1, we explored this relationship in an unselected sample (N = 98). In Study 2, participants (N = 132) with elevated social anxiety were randomized to a two-week SB fading manipulation or a no-instruction control.

Results

SBs were positively associated with loneliness, independent of co-occurring social anxiety. Further, changes in SBs were associated with changes in loneliness one-month later, and social anxiety was no longer significantly associated with loneliness once SBs were entered in these models. SB fading led to significantly lower loneliness at post-manipulation, relative to the control condition, though this effect was only found in individuals high in baseline loneliness. Additionally, a moderated mediation model found that for individuals high in pre-manipulation loneliness, change in loneliness was accounted for by change in negative interpretation bias, a key mechanism in both loneliness and social anxiety.

Conclusions

Taken together, these findings indicate that targeting SB may be a viable method of addressing loneliness, though further research is needed.

Note that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and shift in setting for the study, all regression analyses were also conducted to determine if setting significantly affected findings. Setting did not interact with condition in any of the findings presented in this study.

Please note that sensitivity analyses were conducted including the 39 participants who did not complete follow-up. These analyses used full-information likelihood to address missing data and revealed that the analyses were consistent with the reported completer analyses.

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Titel: A Multi-Method Analysis of the Role of Social Safety Behavior in Loneliness
Auteurs: Tapan A. Patel
Lauren A. Stentz
Jesse R. Cougle
Publicatiedatum: 28-11-2023
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research
Print ISSN: 0147-5916
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2819
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-023-10449-7

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Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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