Loneliness and Aspects of Social Support Networks

Abstract

The relationship between loneliness and both structural and social behavioral aspects of social support was investigated in a sample of 150 college students. Loneliness was found to be significantly correlated with self-disclosure and network density for both men and women. Significant correlations between loneliness and network size and network multiplexity were found only for men. Together the four different aspects of the support network accounted for 32 percent of the variance in men's loneliness scores and size, multiplexity, density, and self-disclosure each made significant individual contributions. For women, these four variables together accounted for 19 percent of the variance in loneliness and self-disclosure was the only factor to make a significant individual contribution when controlling for the others.