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Hirsch – Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and Perceptions of Emotional Loneliness

 

Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and Perceptions of Emotional Loneliness (2024)

Undergraduate: Sarah Hirsch


Faculty Advisor: Keely Muscatell
Department: Psychology and Neuroscience

Introduction_x000D_
College students experience unique stressors during this period of emerging adulthood, as well as an increase in mental health problems without a comparable increase in treatments aimed at targeting their unique stressors. Psychosocial factors, such as a lack of social support or increased loneliness, may be contributing to higher levels of depression among this population. Thus, a social approach may be beneficial in understanding and preventing the onset of psychopathology in this population. Our primary aim of this study is to understand the relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived emotional loneliness in relationships._x000D_
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Methods_x000D_
100 college students aged 18-22 will complete a series of validated questionnaires commonly used in literature to assess depressive symptoms, anxiety, attachment, mood, and cognitive distortions. Participants and two close friends that they have nominated to participate with them will additionally complete surveys involving perceived feelings of closeness in their relationship. Primary participants then complete ecological momentary assessment diaries twice daily for two weeks, reporting their mood, loneliness, and feelings of relationship closeness._x000D_
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Results_x000D_
We anticipate that higher levels of depression among main participants will have a strong, positive correlation with greater feelings of emotional loneliness. In individuals with higher depression scores, we predict a greater mismatch in participants’ assumed feelings of closeness by friends compared to actual relationship closeness reported by friends._x000D_
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Conclusion_x000D_
Results could benefit the understanding of depression etiology and prevention through a social perspective. Future studies may focus on associations between perceived emotional loneliness and depression longitudinally and in clinical populations.