Loneliness in Late Adolescence: A Social Skills Training Study

Abstract

A social deficit hypothesis has been advanced to predict loneliness during adolescence. As a test of this hypothesis, two studies were completed. The first investigation involved the factor analysis of the UCLA Loneliness Scale to assess for unidimensionality versus multidimensionality. Three forms of loneliness were derived-psychological, psychosocial and social loneliness. Internal consistency and predictive validity were estimated for the three subscales. In the second investigation a social skills training study was completed with females who reported high levels of loneliness and inadequate or marginal social skills. A standard pretest posttest experimental and control group design was utilized. Acquisition of social skills was observed to be associated with decreased psychosocial and social loneliness but not psychological loneliness. However, no effects were observed on self-perceived social inhibition.