The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Predicting Loneliness with the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion among Emerging Adults

Loneliness is harmful to both mental and physical well-being. Loneliness is prevalent in emerging adulthood. Hence, there is a need to understand the mechanisms underlying loneliness in emerging adulthood. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the direct connections between emotional intelligence, self-compassion, and loneliness among emerging adults in Türkiye. Additionally, it investigates the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between emotional intelligence and loneliness. The cross-sectional study includes 364 participants (250 females and 114 males) aged 18–29 years (M = 20.00, SD = 1.97), who completed the measures of emotional intelligence, self-compassion, and loneliness, as well as a demographic questionnaire. First, the study findings demonstrate the significant direct relationships between emotional intelligence, self-compassion, and loneliness. The results then show that self-compassion mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and loneliness. Specifically, emerging adults with higher emotional intelligence report greater self-compassion, which, in turn, leads to decreased feelings of loneliness. The practical and theoretical implications, as well as the limitations of the current study, are discussed.