The Experience of Loneliness: Main and Interactive Effects of Interpersonal Stress, Social Support and Positive Affect

Abstract

Chronic interpersonal stress is significantly related to psychological distress, loneliness being a critical mediating factor, so alleviating loneliness could reduce psychological distress even in the face of chronic interpersonal stress. It is plausible that positive affect and social support may moderate chronic interpersonal stress-loneliness, as well as having direct effects on loneliness. If so, health promotion interventions to raise positive affect and social support for people living with chronic interpersonal stress should be prioritised. In a community-based sample of 3733 Norwegian adults, direct and moderating effects of positive affect and social support were explored. Chronic inter personal stress, loneliness, positive affect and social support were significantly interrelated. Positive affect and social support did not substantially moderate the chronic interpersonal stress-loneliness relationship. Together, chronic interpersonal stress, positive affect and social support accounted for 41% of the variance in loneliness. Thus chronic interpersonal stress, positive affect and social support are strong predictors of loneliness. Interventions to increase positive affect and social support may decrease loneliness due to direct affects, but cannot be expected to moderate the chronic interpersonal stress-loneliness relationship.

Keywords:

• interpersonal stress
• Bergen Social Relationships Scale
• belongingness
• loneliness
• positive affect
• social support