Experiences of Solitude in Adulthood and Old Age: The Role of Autonomy

Autor/inn/en	Nikitin, Jana; Rupprecht, Fiona Sophia; Ristl, Christina
Titel	Experiences of Solitude in Adulthood and Old Age: The Role of Autonomy
Quelle	In: International Journal of Behavioral Development, 46 (2022) 6, S.510-519 (10 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Nikitin, Jana)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0165-0254
DOI	10.1177/01650254221117498
Schlagwörter	Adults; Older Adults; Personal Autonomy; Age Differences; Well Being; Self Esteem; Social Integration + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Älterer Erwachsener; Individuelle Autonomie; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Well-being; Wellness; Wohlbefinden; Self-esteem; Selbstaufmerksamkeit; Soziale Integration
Abstract	Recent evidence suggests that older adults experience momentary states of spending time alone (i.e., solitude) less negatively than younger adults. The current research explores the role of autonomy as an explanation mechanism of these age differences. Previous research demonstrated that solitude can be experienced positively when it is characterized by autonomy (i.e., the own wish or decision to be alone). As older adults are relatively more autonomous in their daily lives, they might experience solitude less negatively (in terms of subjective well-being, social integration, self-esteem, and valence) than younger adults. We tested this hypothesis in three studies. In two experience-sampling studies (Study 1: N = 129, 59.7% women, age 19-88 years; Study 2: N = 115, 66.4% women, age 18-85 years), older age and higher autonomy were associated with more positive experience of everyday solitude moments. Although autonomy did not differ between younger and older adults, perceived (lack of) autonomy partly played a more important role for the experience of solitude moments in younger adults compared to older adults. Finally, Study 3 (N = 323, 52% women, age 19-79 years) showed that the relationship between recalled solitude moments of high versus low autonomy and solitude experience is fully explained by feelings of autonomy. Overall, our results demonstrate that older people do not experience more autonomy in situations of solitude than younger adults, but that they partly better cope with low-autonomy solitude. However, people of all ages seem to benefit more from high-autonomy moments of solitude. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01