Spatial loneliness in everyday life: Significance of loneliness for mentalhealth

The present study examined the experiencing and coping with aloneness, the capacity to be alone, and its relationship to loneliness and mental health. Aloneness was conceptualized with regard to location, time, behavior, emot ions, body reactions, attributional style, attitude, and preference of alon eness vs. togetherness. The relationship between these variables and the ca pacity to be alone, mental health, and loneliness was investigated. A total of 196 students completed a questionaire packet consisting of the Multidim ensional Loneliness Questionnaire by Schwab, the Mental Health Scale by Bec ker, and other scales. Results reveal a predominantly positive experiencing of alonness. The capacity to be alone correlated highly positive with the aloneness dimensions General Well-being, Relational Security, and Emotional Arousal; however it was relatively independent of the objective characteri stics of aloneness (time, location, behavior). It was positively correlated with mental health and negatively with loneliness. A more differentiated v iew of aloneness is recommended, which takes into account both stressful an d constructive aspects.