The Effect of Hesitancy Toward and the Motivation for Self-Disclosure on Loneliness Among Japanese Junior High School Students

Abstract

We examined the effect of the factors of hesitancy toward and the motivation for self-disclosure on loneliness using the postulated model: hesitancy toward and motivation for self-disclosure → self-disclosure → loneliness. Five scales about self-disclosure and loneliness were administered to 235 junior high school students. Findings suggest that release of one's feelings strongly promotes self-disclosure and anxiety about the target causes hesitancy toward engaging in selfdisclosure; hesitancy toward personal or private self-disclosure also has an effect on loneliness.There have been many studies about self-disclosure in social psychology or clinical psychology. Self-disclosure refers to the process by which individuals reveal personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences to other people (Reis, 2000). Self-disclosure has been one of the most commonly studied features of relationship developments. The importance of disclosing personal and intimate information about oneself has been emphasized in the context of friendship formation and good health. For a person who is in a negative condition, self-disclosure is especially effective in improving both mental and physical health.While self-disclosure has been found to have positive effects, some effects have also been found to be negative. Hatfield (1984) listed negative effects of selfdisclosure as follows: fear of exposure, fear of abandonment, fear of angry attacks, fear of loss of control, fear of one's own destructive impulses, and fear of losing one's individuality. Disclosing negative information sometimes has an

Feelings of Subjective Emotional Loneliness: An Exploration of Attachment

“…This finding does not correspond with previous research indicating that a positive relationship with the parents during the first years of life implies fewer feelings of loneliness later in life (Kerns & Stevens, 1996). Our findings are consistent with previous research that demonstrates the relationship between insecure attachment and feelings of loneliness (Buss, 1999;DiTommaso et al, 2003;Matsushima & Shiomi, 2001). On a bivariate level, the secure, fearful, and preoccupied adult attachment styles differentiate between lonely and nonlonely respondents.…”

“…Finally, avoidant individuals try to avoid close intimate relationships, probably out of fear of getting hurt (Shaver & Hazan, 1989). The expectations about self and others affect the quality of relationships, and can be thought of as causal in relation to loneliness (Buss, 1999;Matsushima & Shiomi, 2001;Rook, 1984, Sharabany, 1994. Based on these insights, we argue that people who suffer from persistent feelings of loneliness can be characterized by typical working models that entail an impaired ability to form and maintain attachment relations with others.…”

Factors contributing to verbal self-disclosure

“…Davis (1976), on the contrary, describes how average college students tend to engage in more intimate self-disclosure to an opposite-sex acquaintance than they do to a samesex one. Matsushima and Shiomi (2001) also found that young people who were non-disclosing about internal aspects of self (e.g., information concerning their personality and negative experiences) tended to feel lonely -and felt strongly that they did not and/or could not get along with their friends. Furthermore, it seems that lonely people are not receptive to cues signalling that a low level of intimacy is expected that might be present in a conversation: they reported higher levels of familiarity with the partner after a relatively shallow conversation than did the non-lonely participants, who apparently reacted to the lower level of intimacy during the discussion (Solano et al, 1982).…”

Self-Disclosure and Friendship in Junior High School Students

“…Especially in adolescence, the development of intimacy refers to the development of friendships that are characterized by self-disclosure, trust and concern (Steinberg, 1998). Matsushima and Shiomi (2001) found that people who were nondisclosing about internal aspects of self tended to feel loneliness, and feel strongly that they could not get along with their friends. In addition, to decrease the loneliness of adolescents as much as possible it is important for them to form good friendships so that they can openly disclose themselves.…”