Open AccessExperiential Avoidance Mediates the Association between Emotion Regulation Abilities and Loneliness
Author(s) -
Rui Shi,
Shilei Zhang,
Qianwen Zhang,
Shaoping Fu,
Zhenhong Wang
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0168536
Subject(s) - loneliness , feeling , psychology , structural equation modeling , ucla loneliness scale , experiential avoidance , psychological intervention , sadness , association (psychology) , clinical psychology , pessimism , anger , developmental psychology , anxiety , social psychology , psychotherapist , psychiatry , statistics , philosophy , mathematics , epistemology
Experiential avoidance (EA) involves the unwillingness to remain in contact with aversive experiences such as painful feelings, thoughts, and emotions. EA is often associated with the development and maintenance of emotional problems. Since loneliness is characterized by negative emotions such as sadness and pessimism, which is often linked to emotional problems, this study aims to test the mediating effects of EA on the relationship between emotion regulation abilities (ERA) and loneliness in a sample of Chinese adults. Five hundred undergraduates completed questionnaires measuring EA (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; AAQ-Ⅱ), ERA (Failure-relate action orientation; Action Control Scale, ACS-90) and loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale). Structural equation modeling showed that EA fully-mediated the relationship between ERA and loneliness. The findings suggest EA is a key mechanism in explaining why people with high ERA are prone to feeling lower levels of loneliness. In particular, these findings have important implications for designing effective psychological interventions for loneliness.