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Keywords:

Social Sciences, Psychology, Developmental, Psychology, loneliness, peer relations, shyness, self-esteem, SELF-ESTEEM, MIDDLE-CHILDHOOD, FRIENDSHIP QUALITY, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS, SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL, DEPRESSED MOOD, ADJUSTMENT, VICTIMIZATION, ACCEPTANCE, CHILDREN, 1701 Psychology, Developmental & Child Psychology, 5201 Applied and developmental psychology, 5202 Biological psychology, 5205 Social and personality psychology

Abstract:

The present study builds on the child-by-environment model and examines the joint contribution of intra-individual characteristics (i.e., self-esteem and shyness) and peer experiences (i.e., social acceptance, victimization, friendship quantity, and friendship quality) in the association with loneliness. A total of 884 adolescents (Mage = 15.80; 68 percent female) participated in this multi-informant study. Results indicated that, in addition to self-esteem and shyness, being poorly accepted by peers, being victimized, lacking friends, and experiencing poor-quality friendships each contributed independently to the experience of loneliness. Further, friendship quantity and quality mediated the relation between the two intra-individual characteristics and loneliness. Finally, a significant interaction was found between self-esteem and social acceptance in predicting loneliness. The present study highlights the importance of investigating the joint effects of inter-individual experiences and intra-individual characteristics in examining loneliness. Suggestions to elaborate the child-by-environment model in loneliness research are discussed, and clinical implications are outlined. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.