Loneliness among young adults: The role of affect balance and mindfulness

Abstract

Loneliness has emerged as a prevalent and critical issue that can negatively impact the well-being of college students. To study the relationship between mindfulness, loneliness, and affect balance in young adults from a university context, this study was conducted. The study involved 150 university students aged between 17 and 25 who completed three scales: the scale of positive and negative experiences by Diener et al. (2009), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire by Baer, Carmody, & Hunsinger (2012), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale by Russell, Peplau, & Ferguson (1978). The outcomes demonstrated a significant correlation between loneliness and non-judgmental inner experiences and affect balance. Additionally, the study found a strong negative relationship between loneliness and the two facets of mindfulness: non-judgmental inner experiences and aware actions. The results indicate that higher levels of affect balance, aware actions, and non-judgmental inner experiences were related to lower levels of loneliness among students. This research highlights that mindfulness may play a role in alleviating loneliness and fostering emotional equilibrium among college students.