Skip to main content
Log in

Components of loneliness during adolescence

  • Published:
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Predictors of adolescent loneliness were investigated in two samples of high school students (n=92)and college undergraduates (n=192).Results were similar across samples. Among the high school sample loneliness was significantly predicted by a combination of alienation, a lack of social facility and acceptance, inferiority feelings, negative school attitudes, and a lack of social integration. Among college students loneliness was negatively related to social facility, regularity, approval, and involvement and positively related to alienation, parental disinterest, negative school attitudes, and inferiority feelings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bradburn, N. (1969).The Structure of Psychological Well-Being, Aldine, Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brennan, T., and Auslander, N. (1979).Adolescent Loneliness, Behavioral Research Institute, Boulder, Col.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chelune, G. J., Sultan, F. E., and Williams, C. L. (1980). Loneliness, self-disclosure, and interpersonal effectiveness.J. Counsel. Psychol. 27: 462–468.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutrona, C. E. (1982). Transition to college: Loneliness and the process of social adjustment. In Peplau, L. A., and Perlman, D. (eds.),Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Research, Theory and Therapy, Wiley-Interscience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerson, A. C., and Perlman, D. (1979). Loneliness and expressive communication.J. Abnorm. Psychol. 88: 258–261.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, L. M., and French, R. de S. (1979). Interpersonal problems of people who describe themselves as lonely.J. Counsel. Clin. Psychol. 47: 762–764.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, L. M., French, R. de S., and Anderson, C. A. (1982). The prototype of the lonely person. In Peplau, L. A., and Perlman, D. (eds.),Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Theory, Research, and Therapy, Wiley-Interscience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. H. (1978). The persistence of loneliness. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto.

  • Jones, W. H. (1981). Loneliness and social contact.J. Soc. Psychol. 113: 295–296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. H. (1982). Loneliness and social behavior. In Peplau, L. A., and Perlman, D. (eds.).Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Theory, Research, and Therapy, Wiley-Interscience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. H., Freemon, J. E., and Goswick, R. A. (1981). The persistence of loneliness: Self and other determinants.J. Personal. 49: 27–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. H., Hobbs, S. A., and Hockenbury, D. (1982). Loneliness and social skill deficits.J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 42: 682–689.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. H., Sansone, C., and Helm, B. (in press). Loneliness and interpersonal judgments.Personal Soc. Psychol. Bull.

  • McCormack, S. H., and Kahn, A. (1980). Behavioral characteristics of lonely and nonlonely college students. Paper presented at the meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, St. Louis, Mo.

  • Paloutzian, R. F., and Ellison, C. W. (1982). Loneliness, spiritual well-being, and the quality of life. In Peplau, L. A., and Perlman, D. (eds.),Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Theory, Research, and Therapy, Wiley-Interscience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubenstein, C. M., and Shaver, P. (1979). A factor analytic exploration of the experience of adult loneliness. Paper presented at the UCLA Conference on Loneliness, Los Angeles.

  • Russell, D., Peplau, L. A., and Ferguson, M. L. (1978). Developing a measure of loneliness.J. Personal. Assess. 42: 280–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, D., Peplau, L. A., and Cutrona, C. E. (1980). The revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: Concurrent and discriminant validity evidence.J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 39: 472–480.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, D. (1982). The measurement of loneliness. In Peplau, L. A., and Perlman, D. (eds.).Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Theory, Research, and Therapy, Wiley-Interscience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solano, C. H., Batten, P. G., and Parish, E. A. (in press). Loneliness and patterns of self-disclosure.J. Personal. Soc. Psychol.

  • Weeks, P. G., Michela, J. L., Peplau, L. A., and Bragg, M. E. (1980). The relationship between loneliness and depression: A structural equation analysis.J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 39: 1238–1244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R. S. (1973).Loneliness: The Experience of Emotional and Social Isolation, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Research interests include loneliness and self-concept.

Received Ph.D. in social psychology from Oklahoma State University. Research interests include loneliness and friendships.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Goswick, R.A., Jones, W.H. Components of loneliness during adolescence. J Youth Adolescence 11, 373–383 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01540375

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01540375

Keywords

Navigation