Loneliness and life satisfaction: The moderating effects of friends' support and socioeconomic status

Abstract

Previous cross-sectional studies on the relation between loneliness and life satisfaction in adolescence lacked the interdisciplinary approach necessary for understanding the complex human nature. Perceived friends’ support has a positive effect on the relation between mental health and well-being in adolescence. Additionally, family’s socioeconomic status (SES) plays a role in shaping adolescent experiences that profoundly impact the relation between mental health and well-being. Therefore, including friends’ support and SES offers an opportunity to test whether familial factor and/or social factor can influence the relation between loneliness and life satisfaction. Participants of the present study were 409 Dutch adolescents, 16-25 years of age (Mage = 17.76, SD = 1.67). They filled in questionnaires in two waves (May/June 2020 and October 2020/January 2021) as a part of the longitudinal data set collection Youth Got Talent. Results revealed that adolescents who felt lonely were significantly less satisfied with their lives 7 months later and this negative relation was stronger for adolescents from higher SES background. The effect of friends’ support was not significant. Future studies should consider the limitations of this study and use its findings for future interventions to decrease loneliness and improve life satisfaction among adolescents.