Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Background: Increasing concerns about social connection have made it crucial to distinguish structural versus perceived aspects of being alone, as these experiences have different implications for health and well-being across the lifespan. Loneliness, defined as the perceived gap between desired and actual social connection is consistently linked to elevated depressive symptoms and poorer physical health. Importantly, simply being alone does not necessarily produce loneliness: one can be alone yet not feel lonely. Solitude reflects time spent alone that is often intentional or self-chosen and can support regulation, recovery, or reduced distress when aligned with personal goals or needs. Although solitude is often associated with older adults, younger and middle-aged adults spend 30-40% of the day alone, and solitude has been linked to both positive and negative outcomes depending on context and motivation. Most research, however, has examined these constructs at the between-person level, leaving limited understanding of how daily experiences shape well-being. Method: The present study will use the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) dataset, employing a measurement-burst design with three assessment waves. At each wave, participants completed an 8-day daily diary assessing loneliness and solitude. Multilevel models will examine longitudinal within-person changes, age differences, and whether age moderates associations between daily experiences and well-being. Analyses will also test whether low day-to-day variability in loneliness predicts worse health over time. Conclusions: This study will examine how daily solitude and loneliness influence well-being and assess how solitude is restorative versus distressing across the lifespan. Impact: Findings will inform emotion and aging research and guide interventions to support psychological and physical health in adults who spend increased time alone.