McVarnock Alicia, Coplan Robert J, White Hope I, Bowker Julie C
Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
J Pers. 2025 Feb;93(1):81-100. doi: 10.1111/jopy.12905. Epub 2023 Nov 28.
Solitude represents an important context for emerging adults' well-being; but to date, little is known about how emerging adults spend their time alone. The goals of this study were to: (1) describe and characterize solitary activities among emerging adults attending university; (2) examine links between solitary activities and indices of adjustment; and (3) explore the moderating role of affinity for solitude in these associations.
Participants were N = 1798 university students aged 18-25 years (M = 19.73, SD = 1.46; 59.7% female) who completed assessments of how/why they spend time alone and indices of psychosocial adjustment (e.g., well-being, psychological distress, loneliness, and aloneliness).
Emerging adults who spent time alone predominantly thinking reported poor adjustment outcomes (i.e., higher loneliness and psychological distress, and lower well-being) and dissatisfaction with solitude, whereas those who engaged in active leisure activities or passive technology use while alone reported lower psychological distress and higher satisfaction with solitude. The negative implications of doing nothing were not attenuated at higher levels of affinity for solitude.
These findings suggest that some solitary activities are more beneficial than others.
独处是新兴成年人幸福感的一个重要背景；但迄今为止，对于新兴成年人如何独自度过时光知之甚少。本研究的目的是：（1）描述和刻画上大学的新兴成年人的独处活动；（2）研究独处活动与适应指标之间的联系；（3）探讨对独处的喜爱程度在这些关联中的调节作用。
参与者为N = 1798名年龄在18 - 25岁之间的大学生（M = 19.73，SD = 1.46；59.7%为女性），他们完成了关于如何/为何独自度过时光的评估以及心理社会适应指标（如幸福感、心理困扰、孤独感和独处感）的评估。
主要花时间独自思考的新兴成年人报告了较差的适应结果（即更高的孤独感和心理困扰，以及更低的幸福感）和对独处的不满，而那些独自进行积极休闲活动或使用被动技术的人报告了较低的心理困扰和对独处的更高满意度。在对独处有更高喜爱程度的情况下，无所事事的负面影响并未减弱。
这些发现表明，一些独处活动比其他活动更有益。
