Ava Grace Smith (University of Victoria)

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a public health concern linked to poorer mental and physical health, yet much research treats time spent alone as inherently harmful. This work distinguishes loneliness, the distressing perception of lack of social connection, from solitude, which can be neutral or even restorative when self-chosen. Using Phase 2 data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, we examine how daily experiences of loneliness and solitude relate to well-being across adulthood.  Multilevel models will test within-person daily associations, age differences in these links, and whether age moderates the health impact of daily social experiences. Overall, this study helps distinguish when being alone poses a risk, and when it supports emotional regulation, challenging the idea that solitude is always harmful.