Experiencing Loneliness in Adolescence: A Matter of Individual Characteristics, Negative Peer Experiences, or Both?

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 (M-age= 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.