The mediating effect of positive coping style between Machiavellianism and loneliness in adolescents

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship among Machiavellianism, loneliness and coping style in adolescents. Methods 850 junior middle school students were recruited and assessed with Kiddie Machiavellianism Scale, Self-esteem Scale, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (for students). Mediating effect was analyzed by multiple regression analysis. Results ① The scores of Machiavellianism, loneliness, positive coping and negative coping were (37.35±7.52), (30.21±10.72), (21.07±6.12) and (9.44±3.84) respectively. ② Machiavellianism was positively correlated with negative coping style (r=0.192, P<0.01) and loneliness (r=0.263, P<0.01), as well as negatively correlated with positive coping style (r=-0.244, P<0.01). ③ Positive coping style partially mediated the effect of Machiavellianism on loneliness, and the mediating role accounted for 37.72% for the whole effect. Conclusion The higher the Machiavellianism is, the more serious the loneliness is.Positive coping style partially mediates the relations between Machiavellianism and loneliness. Key words: Coping style; Machiavellianism personality; Loneliness