Adolescence is a period of intense social change, when the focus of attention often shifts from family to peers. This can lead to a sense of disconnection if stable friendship groups have not yet formed. Researchers at the University of Wuppertal in Germany conducted a study to understand how personality traits and social surroundings influence adolescents’ daily experiences of loneliness.
Study methodology: ecological momentary assessment
The researchers, led by Kara Luise Wicher, used ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Unlike traditional questionnaires, which rely on recollections of a past period and can distort the data, EMA involves sending participants repeated notifications throughout the day via smartphones. This allows emotions to be recorded in their immediate social context.
The study involved 294 adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 21. Over 14 days, participants received up to seven notifications a day asking about how they were feeling at that moment, their social surroundings and their location. More than 27 000 responses were collected in total, providing a detailed dataset. Before the experiment began, participants also completed baseline questionnaires assessing their overall levels of loneliness and personality traits.
The influence of social context on the experience of loneliness
The results showed that time spent alone correlates with a heightened sense of isolation. However, the type of company proved to be a more significant factor. Interacting with close companions — friends, romantic partners or family members — helped reduce feelings of loneliness. By contrast, interactions with acquaintances, such as classmates or colleagues, did not have a similar effect.
Adolescents experienced the highest levels of loneliness during online interactions, followed by time spent with roommates or strangers. The researchers also noted age-related changes: older adolescents spent less time with family and more with romantic partners. Among older participants, the association between being alone and feeling isolated was also stronger, which is consistent with theories about the importance of personal space during identity formation.
The role of personality traits in the development of chronic loneliness
The study found that people with maladaptive personality traits — persistent patterns of thinking and behaviour that make everyday functioning difficult — are prone to chronic loneliness regardless of their social surroundings. Such traits include heightened emotional sensitivity or a tendency towards social isolation.
Participants who scored highly on maladaptive traits at the start of the study reported more intense and more variable levels of loneliness throughout the observation period. Particularly prominent domains included detachment (social isolation and limited emotional expression) and negative affect (frequently experiencing strong negative emotions). These traits influenced how participants perceived their social surroundings, making loneliness a persistent state rather than a response to a specific situation.
Study limitations and future directions
The study’s authors note that it relies on self-reports, which may introduce subjective bias. The sample was relatively homogeneous, consisting mainly of young people born in Germany with a stable socioeconomic status, which limits the applicability of the findings to more diverse populations.
In addition, using a single question to measure momentary loneliness may not have captured the full range of experiences. The study identified associations, but no direct causal relationships. For example, it is unclear whether time spent online precedes feelings of loneliness or whether lonely people seek comfort online. Future research could examine more diverse groups and the influence of specific coping strategies or emotion regulation skills on changes in loneliness over time.
Source: PsyPost – Psychology News
