Subjective loneliness as a function of crucial aspects of emotional functioning

Objectives Why does a person experience loneliness? The loneliness literature shows that both psychological and socio-demographic variables contribute to define whether a person has difficulties in establishing and keeping meaningful personal relationships, thus experiencing loneliness. The study tested if loneliness is a function of several aspects of emotional functioning, in addition to socio-demographic variables, and the impact of loneliness on well-being. Method A large sample of young Italians (N 2.368, 29% males; M age 24,55, sd 2,80) answered self-report scales. Results Statistical analyses of obtained ratings - including correlation, multiple hierarchical regression, GLM and t tests - showed sex to be a highly significant variable, with men reporting greater emotional loneliness, alexithymia (especially external thought orientation and difficulty in communicating feelings), expressive suppression and avoidance as regulation and coping strategies. Women reported instead greater support perception (i.e., lesser social loneliness), awareness of emotions, expressive transparency, emotion-regulation by reappraisal, coping by recurring to social support and by a transcending orientation. Women experienced higher positive and negative affect, and life satisfaction than men. Age did not overall significantly affect ratings – but life satisfaction decreased from 25 years of age onwards. Emotional loneliness was predicted (R2 .26) most by difficulty in identifying feelings, avoidant coping, and expressive suppression, and, as negative predictors, by number of at-work years, age, awareness, transparency, and regulation by reappraisal. Social support, i.e., low social loneliness, was predicted (R2 .26) most by awareness, transparency, and social support coping, in addition to age, avoidance, and difficulty in communicating feelings, as negative and less powerful predictors. Conclusion In sum, emotional functioning – that clearly affects well-being and relationship-building – is crucially associated with loneliness feelings, more so than socio-demographic variables. The results indicate that young adults, men especially, might profit from developing their emotional skills so that they become more functional to their intra-and inter-personal needs.