Emotion understanding, interpersonal competencies and loneliness among students

Abstract

The study examines the associations of emotion understanding, interpersonal competencies, loneliness and correlated variables (perceived social support, quality of social networks). Two conceptual models of relations were tested. In the first model it was hypothesized that interpersonal competencies mediate relations between emotion understanding and loneliness, perceived social support and quality of social networks. In the second model emotion understanding was tested as a moderator of relationships between interpersonal competencies and loneliness, perceived social support and quality of social networks. Study 1 (n = 221) provided only a weak confirmation of the mediatory model, restricted to men. Study 2 (n = 206), employing different measures of emotion understanding and loneliness, confirmed weakly both the mediatory and moderatory models. In both studies a direct negative correlation between emotion understanding and loneliness was not confirmed.