Individual Differences in Appraisals of Social Relationships Predict Loneliness among Ethno-Racially Diverse Adolescents

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Social, Emotional, Personality

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of rapid developmental changes involving social re-orientation away from relationships with parents towards relationships with peers and romantic partners (Dahl, 2018). Loneliness is a common experience during adolescence, and it activates a reaffiliation motive to seek and develop new and satisfying social relationships. However, chronic experiences of loneliness negatively interfere with youth mental and/or physical well-being (Goossens, 2018). Individual differences in appraisals of social relationships and emotion regulation make adolescents more vulnerable to developing loneliness (Vanhalst et al., 2014). Previous research showed that rejection sensitivity (Zimmer et al., 2014), and fear of negative evaluation (FNE) related to higher levels of adolescent loneliness (Geukens et al., 2020). Research with adult samples showed that emotion regulation strategies shape loneliness (Kearns, 2017), but a comprehensive examination of all of these processes in adolescent samples have been lacking. Furthermore, there is evidence that these associations are stronger for adolescent girls (Kingery, 2011). Despite a growing interest, the role of appraisals of social relationships and emotion regulation for adolescent loneliness is not well understood. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine associations between rejection sensitivity, FNE, emotion regulation strategies and loneliness, and explore gender differences in these linkages.
Participants were sixth and ninth graders attending public schools (N = 714, 48.6% Male; M age = 13.7; 28% white, 7% African American, and 50.8% Hispanic/Latino) who completed surveys on positive reappraisal and rumination (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006), rejection sensitivity (Downey, 2013), fear of negative evaluation (LaGreca, 1999), loneliness (Hughes, 2004) and family support (Ermis-Demirtas, 2018). All measures showed internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha > .79). Linear regression analyses were used to examine the effects of positive reappraisal, rumination, rejection sensitivity and FNE on loneliness, while controlling for the protective role of family support. Interactions were then explored between gender and each predictor. Results showed that rejection sensitivity and FNE were significantly related to higher loneliness (Table 1). Emotion regulation strategies were not associated with loneliness. Moderation analyses yielded significant gender differences such that, for boys only, higher rejection sensitivity is associated with increased loneliness (Figure 1). No gender differences were found for FNE and emotion regulation.
These findings correspond with existing evidence that rejection sensitivity and FNE contribute to loneliness, emphasizing that research on individual differences in adolescent appraisals of social relationships (Rudolph et al., 2016) is important. The gender differences in the effect of rejection sensitivity on loneliness are among the first to highlight this significant association in adolescent boys. The findings have implications for understanding contributing factors to loneliness and provide opportunities to promote psychological well-being during adolescence.

Authors

• Sedona Whitmore, George Mason University
  Presenting Author

• Olga Kornienko, George Mason University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marissa Davila, George Mason University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Thao Ha, Arizona State University
  Non-Presenting Author