Attachment, loneliness, and online perceived social support

Abstract

Attachment insecurity predicts greater loneliness, and research has indicated that perceived social support (PSS) is a crucial mediator in this relationship (Bernardon et al., 2011). As social media plays an increasing role in shaping the ways in which individuals develop and maintain relationships, it is important to understand how online social perceptions mediate the relationship between attachment insecurity and loneliness. The current study examined online PSS as a mediator in the relationship between attachment and loneliness. Three hundred eighty-five participants recruited from undergraduate psychology classes and the general population (Mage = 25 years) completed a series of questionnaires using the online survey platform Lime Survey. Results indicated that online PSS mediated the relationship between attachment and loneliness. Specifically, greater attachment insecurity predicted less online PSS, which predicted greater loneliness. In addition, regression analyses revealed that online PSS did not uniquely contribute to loneliness over and above offline PSS, whereas offline PSS did predict loneliness over and above online PSS. The latter findings indicate that offline perceptions and relationships remain critical in predicting loneliness. The role of social media as a tool to help attenuate the long-term experience of loneliness is also discussed.