The Relationship between Affective and Social Isolation among Undergraduate Students

Abstract

We examined the correlation between social isolation and affective isolation among 457 undergraduate students using a stratified cluster sampling technique. Participants comprised 221 men and 236 women, all of whom were either first- or fourth-year students enrolled in various majors at King Saud University. Means, standard deviations, Pearson (Spearman) correlations, z-values, a regression analysis, and an analysis of variance were used to address the study questions: (Are there significant differences (α ≤ .05) in affective isolation per sex and academic level? Does the interaction between sex and academic level have a significant impact on affective isolation? What is the nature of the relationship between affective isolation and overall social isolation and its dimensions? Are there significant differences (α = .05) in the relationship per sex and academic level? Does affective isolation contribute towards the prediction of social isolation?). Significant differences regarding sex were found, as men showed more affective isolation. Significant differences were also found regarding the interaction between sex and academic level on affective isolation. However, the correlations between the social isolation dimensions of self-confidence, family containment and communication, and interaction with friends with affective isolation were negative. In addition, affective isolation predicted social isolation among students.