Loneliness and depression: The mediating role of nonattachment to self

Loneliness is an identified risk factor for the development of depression. However, the intricate relationship between loneliness and depression remains unclear. This work aimed to determine if nonattachment to self, a previously reported protective factor against depressive symptoms, might mediate the association between loneliness and depression. Two studies utilised cross-sectional samples of 299 undergraduate students ( M = 29.57 years, SD = 11.92) and 1060 university students ( M = 25.12 years, SD = 8.70) who completed questionnaires measuring loneliness, nonattachment to self, and depression. Findings revealed a strong positive association between loneliness and depression and moderate negative correlations between nonattachment to self and both loneliness and depression. Further, results showed that nonattachment to self partially mediated the association between loneliness and depression. Although the cross-sectional design limits the ability to make causal conclusions, the results provide preliminary evidence suggesting that being attached and fixated on the self-concept may partially account for the association between loneliness to depression. Research should investigate if interventions targeted towards cultivating a more balanced and flexible self-relationship may protect against the depression-related consequences associated with feelings of loneliness. • Lonelier individuals tend to be more attached to their self-concept. • Nonattachment to self is related to less depressive symptoms. • Nonattachment to self partially accounts for the loneliness-depression relationship.