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Having Time to Oneself in Times of Extended Togetherness: Solitude Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Wiley

This study investigated how time to oneself (solitude) is experienced under conditions of extended togetherness with household members during the pandemic. Both structural (living arrangements) and qualitative characteristics (relationship quality, conflict) were examined for their association with solitude desire and daily solitude-affect links. We expected that people living with others and those with more high-quality as well as those with more conflictual relationships would report better affect quality when experiencing solitude. A Canadian adult lifespan sample (N = 141; Mage = 38.43 years, SDage = 17.51; 81 % female; 73% White; data collected from April to August 2020) provided information on household size and relationship characteristics and completed repeated daily life assessments of solitude desire, solitude, and affect. Findings show that living arrangements were not associated with an increased desire for solitude or better affect quality from solitude. Individuals reporting higher relationship quality and individuals reporting more conflict showed more favorable affect quality on days when they had time in solitude than individuals reporting lower quality relationships and lower conflict. Findings add to the growing solitude literature by delineating who and under what conditions seeks and benefits from solitude.

Article

eng

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0445575

Arts, Faculty of; Non UBC; Psychology, Department of

Choi, Y., Pauly, T., Zambrano Garza, E., Broen, T., Gerstorf, D., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2023). Having time to oneself in times of extended togetherness: Solitude experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 15(1), 217–237.

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Wiley

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