Risk in childhood family environments and loneliness in college students: Implications for health

Abstract

Objective: To investigate associations between risk in family environments and health-relevant outcomes in college and the role of loneliness. Participants: College students at a state university (N = 360). Methods: We utilized linear regression to examine relationships between risk in family environments and loneliness, perceived stress, affect, and self-rated health. We tested for indirect effects of risk in family environments on outcomes through loneliness Results: Analyses showed that risk in family environments associated with loneliness (β = 0.12 t[358] = 2.22, p = .03, R² change = .02), perceived social stress (β = 0.20, t[357] = 3.88, p < 0.001, R² change = .04), negative and positive affect (β = 2.44, t[357] = 3.95, p < .001, R² change = .04), and (β = –0.18 t[357]= –3.44, p = .001, R² change = .03 respectively), and self-rated health (β = 0.19, t[359] = 4.57, p < .001, R² change = .10). Significant indirect effects were observed for risk in early family on all outcomes through loneliness. Conclusion: These findings provide initial evidence that risk in childhood family environments may negatively affect health by increasing loneliness in college students.

Keywords:

• Affect
• college
• early family environments
• loneliness
• self-rated health
• stress

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Montana State University.

Funding

This research was not sponsored by funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.