ABSTRACT:
Background/Objectives: This paper is intended to provide basic data for college students’ mental health management programs by clarifying the factors affecting loneliness of college students. Methods/Statistical analysis: A purposive sample of 205 students from N university in C province of Korea was recruited for the cross-sectional survey design. The instruments were used Korean-version Revised UCLA Loneliness Scales, the self-esteem scaledeveloped by Rosenberg, the Multidimensional Scale on Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). We used SPSS WIN 23.0 program to analyze the quantitative data of the questionnaires. Findings: A consequence of analysis,the mean scores of college students’loneliness was1.67±0.42 point (range 1-4), self-esteem was 3.04±0.47 point (range 1-4), and social support was 5.29±1.67 point (range 1-7). The participants’ loneliness according to general characteristics showed statistically differences in religion (F=13.323, p<.001). Self-esteemwas negatively correlated with loneliness (r=-.634, p<.001) and was found to be an independent variable that had the greatest effect on loneliness.Self-esteem showed a positive correlation with social support (r=.511, p<.001), and among the social supports, the support of friends and the support of family rather than the support of others appeared to be the factors affecting the loneliness of college students.In the final model of this study through stepwise multiple regression, the three variables of self-esteem, friend support and family support were found to be significant. Participants’ loneliness was affected significantly by self-esteem (ß=-.367, t=-5.942, p<.001), friend support (ß=-.286, t=-2.401, p=.017), and family support (ß=-.179, t=-2.111, p=.036), and these variables explained 44.4% (F=27.723, p<.001). Improvements/Applications: Programs that mediate the loneliness of college students should include personal, family, and social interests and efforts to improve self-esteem, friend support, and family support of college students.