Abstract
Based on current theories of depression, reciprocal links between loneliness and depressive symptoms are expected to occur.
However, longitudinal studies on adolescent samples are scarce and have yielded conflicting results. The present five-wave
longitudinal study from mid- to late adolescence (N = 428, M age at T1 = 15.22 years; 47% female) examined the direction of effect between loneliness and depressive symptoms,
using cross-lagged path analysis. In addition, the robustness of these prospective associations was tested by examining the
role of the Big Five personality traits (i.e., extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness)
as explaining factors and moderators. Results indicated that loneliness and depressive symptoms influenced one another reciprocally,
and these reciprocal associations were not attributable to their mutual overlap with personality traits. In addition, neuroticism
was found to be a moderator, in that the bidirectional effects between loneliness and depressive symptoms were only found
in adolescents high in neuroticism. Practical implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are outlined.
However, longitudinal studies on adolescent samples are scarce and have yielded conflicting results. The present five-wave
longitudinal study from mid- to late adolescence (N = 428, M age at T1 = 15.22 years; 47% female) examined the direction of effect between loneliness and depressive symptoms,
using cross-lagged path analysis. In addition, the robustness of these prospective associations was tested by examining the
role of the Big Five personality traits (i.e., extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness)
as explaining factors and moderators. Results indicated that loneliness and depressive symptoms influenced one another reciprocally,
and these reciprocal associations were not attributable to their mutual overlap with personality traits. In addition, neuroticism
was found to be a moderator, in that the bidirectional effects between loneliness and depressive symptoms were only found
in adolescents high in neuroticism. Practical implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are outlined.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Empirical Research
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-011-9726-7
- Authors
- Janne Vanhalst, Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, Catholic University Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Box 3715, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Theo A. Klimstra, Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, Catholic University Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Box 3715, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Koen Luyckx, Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, Catholic University Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Box 3715, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Ron H. J. Scholte, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Rutger C. M. E. Engels, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Luc Goossens, Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, Catholic University Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Box 3715, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891