Social motives predict loneliness in a developmental transition

Establishing new social relationships is important for mastering developmental transitions in young adulthood.  A two-year longitudinal study with four measurement occasions (t1: N = 245, t2: N = 96, t3: N = 103, t4: N = 85) tested the role of social motives for the transition of students who moved out of the parental home, using loneliness as a negative indicator of adjustment to the transition.  High social approach motives were related to stable and low levels of loneliness.  In contrast, high social avoidance motives were associated with high levels of loneliness.  However, this effect dissipated relatively quickly as most of the young adults adapted to the transition over the period of several weeks.  The current study also provides evidence for an interaction of social approach and avoidance motives:  Approach motives buffered the negative consequences of social avoidance motives for social well-being.  These results illustrate the importance of social approach and avoidance motives and their interplay for developmental transitions.