Loneliness and Depression in College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Role of Boredom and Repetitive Negative Thinking

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered increased rates of depression, especially among college students. Due to social distancing guidelines, loneliness has been suspected as a prominent factor in depression during the pandemic. Research is needed to identify possible mechanisms through which loneliness co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of cognitive therapy 2022-06, Vol.15 (2), p.134-152
Main Authors: Hager, Nathan M., Judah, Matt R., Milam, Alicia L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Behavioral Therapy
Boredom
Clinical Psychology
Cognitive-behavioral factors
College students
COVID-19
Indirect effects
Loneliness
Mental depression
Pandemics
Psychology
Social isolation
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Summary:The COVID-19 pandemic triggered increased rates of depression, especially among college students. Due to social distancing guidelines, loneliness has been suspected as a prominent factor in depression during the pandemic. Research is needed to identify possible mechanisms through which loneliness conveys risk for pandemic-era depression. Two potential mechanisms are boredom and repetitive negative thinking (RNT). This study examined cross-sectional associations between depression, loneliness, boredom, and RNT in a sample of college students ( N  = 199) in April 2020 immediately following campus closure. Results showed a serial indirect effect of loneliness on depression through boredom then RNT. Moreover, specific indirect effects of loneliness on depression were found through boredom and RNT, individually. Though limited by the cross-sectional design, these data align with cognitive-behavioral theory and identify boredom and RNT as possible mechanisms of the association between loneliness and depression in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ISSN:1937-1209
1937-1217
1937-1217
DOI:10.1007/s41811-022-00135-z