A cross-lagged regression analysis of loneliness and depression: A two-year trace. Issue 2 (4th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ren, Lijie; Mo, Bibo; Liu, Junsheng; Li, Dan
• Is Part Of: European journal of developmental psychology. Volume 19:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 198
• Page End: 212
• Publication Date: 2022-03-04
• Subjects: Loneliness -- depression -- cross-lagged regression analysis -- college students; Developmental psychology -- Periodicals; Developmental psychology -- Europe -- Periodicals; 155
• DOI: 10.1080/17405629.2020.1865146
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-5629

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article aims to explore the possible causal relationship between loneliness and depression in college students. Two hundred and fifty-nine college students had been investigated four times in 2 years with UCLA and CES-D, and cross-lagged regression analysis was used. ① there was a significant positive correlation between loneliness and depression of college students; ② cross-lagged regression analysis showed that after controlling the related variables and the stability of variables themselves, loneliness, and depression could positively predict each other at points-in-time T1 and T2; Depression could significantly positively predict loneliness at points-in-time T2, T3, and T4. There is a bidirectional relationship between loneliness and depression of college students, and the effect of depression on loneliness is stronger than that of loneliness on depression.