Self-criticism, dependency, silencing the self, and loneliness: a test of a mediational model

The current study extended recent research on the relational aspects of self-criticism and dependency by examining their association with individual differences in silencing the self and loneliness. A sample of 167 respondents (including 78 in current romantic relationships) were administered the McGill version of the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ), the Silencing The Self Scale, and measures of loneliness and depression. The results indicated that self-criticism was associated with silencing the self, loneliness, and depression, while dependency was not associated significantly with loneliness. As expected, a mediational model confirmed that silencing the self mediated the link between self-criticism and loneliness, even after taking related individual differences in levels of depression into account. Our findings held generally for people in a current relationship or not in a current relationship, but certain findings highlighted the need to distinguish whether self-silencing is being evaluated within the context of a current relationship. Overall, our results point to self-silencing as a tendency that links depressive orientations and loneliness. The theoretical and practical implications of the associations among personality vulnerabilities, self-silencing, and loneliness are discussed.