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Is It Weird to Enjoy Solitude? Relationship of Solitude Capacity with Personality Traits and Physical and Mental Health in Junior College Students

Author

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  • Pin-Hsuan Lin

    (Department of Health and Beauty, Shu Zen Junior College of Medicine and Management, Kaohsiung 821, Taiwan)

  • Po-Yu Wang

    (Department of Pediatric Emergency, Changhua Christian Children Hospital, Changhua 500, Taiwan)

  • Ying-Lien Lin

    (Department of Industrial and Information Management, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan)

  • Shang-Yu Yang

    (Department of Healthcare Administration, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung 413, Taiwan)

Abstract

Background : Teenagers described as enjoying their own company have been claimed to have a weird personality and experience loneliness and negative emotions and have often been labeled with negative attributes. However, previous studies have provided a limited understanding of teenagers’ capacity for solitude. Objectives : The purpose of this study was to explore the correlations between teenagers’ capacity for solitude and both personality traits and physical and mental health. Methods : This study employed a cross-sectional research design and collected data from a junior college located in Taiwan using a structured questionnaire, which consisted of demographic questions, a solitude capacity scale, a personality trait scale, and a physical and mental health scale. Results : A total of 562 participants were recruited (age = 17.56 ± 1.58 years). The total score of the solitude capacity scale was significantly correlated with four elements of the personality traits subscale: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness. The solitude capacity subscale (i.e., the solitude-coping subscale) showed significant correlations with two of the physical and mental health elements, i.e., anxiety and insomnia and severe depression. Conclusions : The results verified the correlations between capacity for solitude and personality traits and did not show a positive association with negative personality traits (i.e., neuroticism). Moreover, the solitude coping capacity correlated positively with anxiety levels and negatively with depression.

Suggested Citation

  • Pin-Hsuan Lin & Po-Yu Wang & Ying-Lien Lin & Shang-Yu Yang, 2020. "Is It Weird to Enjoy Solitude? Relationship of Solitude Capacity with Personality Traits and Physical and Mental Health in Junior College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:14:p:5060-:d:384251
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bimala Sharma & Tae Ho Lee & Eun Woo Nam, 2017. "Loneliness, Insomnia and Suicidal Behavior among School-Going Adolescents in Western Pacific Island Countries: Role of Violence and Injury," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-11, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chung-Ying Lin & Hector W. H. Tsang, 2020. "Stigma, Health and Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-12, October.

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