Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Emily Srisarajivakul

Committee Member

Emily Srisarajivakul

Committee Member

Jia Wei Zhang

Committee Member

Ryan Farmer

Abstract

Understanding self-compassion is essential for psychologists seeking to address mental health concerns, particularly among students and young adults. Loneliness, which refers to the perceived quality rather than the quantity of relationships, has a significant impact on the well-being and social connections of adolescents and young adults (Bluth et al., 2017; Holt-Lunstad, 2017; Office of the Surgeon General, 2023, May; Taylor et al., 2023). Daily self-compassion practices may help alleviate loneliness, foster a sense of belonging, reduce feelings of exclusion, and improve individual well-being and overall school climate (Baker & McNulty, 2011; Bluth et al., 2022; Liu et al., 2020; Neff, 2003; Vigna et al., 2020; Warren et al., 2016; Watson-Singleton et al., 2022). This multi-method daily diary study employs hierarchical linear modeling and qualitative thematic analysis to examine the relationship between self-compassion and loneliness in a diverse sample of young adults. Over seven days, N = 85 participants provided responses to self-reported measures and wrote diary entries addressing self-compassion, loneliness, extraversion, and coping strategies. The findings from a series of multilevel models revealed that both trait self-compassion and daily self-compassion were negatively associated with loneliness over seven days. Neither trait nor daily coping were significant predictor of loneliness When controlling for extraversion, race/ethnicity, and gender, daily self-compassion remained significantly associated with reduced loneliness. Additionally, extraversion was associated with lower loneliness beyond the effects of high self-compassion. Race/ethnicity and gender did not significantly influence the self-compassion-loneliness relationship. Results from the qualitative analysis of the diary entries identified key themes related to experiences of loneliness, including isolation, negative coping behaviors, the importance of perspective-taking, and the role of social support.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

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Notes

Open access.

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