珍妮弗·麦克纳尔蒂 陈圆

Teens who choose to spend time alone may know whats best for them， according to new research that suggests solitude isnt a red flag for isolation or depression.

The key factor is choice， say researchers at the University of California， Santa Cruz， and Wilmington College： When solitude is imposed on adolescents and young adults， whether as punishment or as a result of social anxiety， it can be problematic. But chosen solitude contributes to personal growth and self-acceptance， they found.

“Solitude has gotten a lot of bad press， especially for adolescents who get labeled as social misfits or lonely，” said Margarita Azmitia， professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz and coauthor of a new paper in the Journal of Adolescence. “Sometimes， solitude is good. Developmentally， learning to be alone is a skill， and it can be refreshing and restorative.”

Most previous studies confounded solitude with loneliness or shyness， said Azmitia. “Theres a stigma for kids who spend time alone. Theyre considered lacking in social skills， or they get labeled ‘loners， ” she said. “Its beneficial to know when you need to be alone and when you need to be with others. This study quantifies the benefits of solitude and distinguishes it from the costs of loneliness or isolation.”

Virginia Thomas， assistant professor of psychology at Wilmington College， spearheaded the research as a graduate student in Azmitias lab， where she developed a specialization in the role of solitude in identity development and emotional wellbeing.

When adolescents and young adults choose to spend time alone， solitude can provide an opportunity for self-reflection， creative expression， or spiritual renewal. It can be challenging when it is imposed on them—when they opt out of social engagement because they lack friends， feel awkward， experience social anxiety， or are being punished.

To distinguish between these motivations， Thomas and Azmitia developed a 14-item survey that asked respondents to rate their motivations for solitude on a four-point scale， posing questions like， “I feel energized when I spend time by myself，” and “I enjoy the quiet，” versus “I feel uncomfortable when Im with others，” and “I regret things I say or do when Im with others.”

Those who seek solitude because they feel rejected or want to retreat into isolation are at greater risk of social anxiety， loneliness， and depression， and they tend to have lower levels of identity development， autonomy， and positive relationships with others. In contrast， those who seek solitude for positive reasons， such as self-reflection or a desire for peace and quiet， face none of these risks.

Todays fast-paced， device-driven culture emphasizes being connected to friends and associates 24/7， and young people have little practice learning to manage their time alone productively. Imposed solitude is more problematic for adolescents， who often worry about being rejected by their peers or friends or fear that being alone means they are unpopular. However， the capacity for solitude blossoms in young adults， the researchers found.

“These results increase our awareness that being alone can be restorative and a positive thing，” said Thomas. “The question is how to be alone without feeling like were missing out. For many people， solitude is like exercising a muscle theyve never used. You have to develop it， flex it， and learn to use time alone to your benefit.”

Solitude serves the same positive functions in introverts and extroverts. “Introverts just need more of it，” noted Thomas.

“Our culture is pretty biased toward extroversion，” she said. “When we see any sign of shyness or introversion in children， we worry they wont be popular. But we overlook plenty of well-adjusted teens and young adults who are perfectly happy when alone， and who benefit from their solitude.”

Both researchers encouraged parents to appreciate the benefits of solitude for their children. “Parents can help their children understand that being alone isnt bad. It doesnt mean nobody likes you，” said Azmitia. “Solitude can improve the wellbeing of kids who are overstimulated. They can learn to regulate their behavior， on their own， without being told to.”

“We need to build our cultural understanding that we dont have to be social all the time，” said Azmitia. “Sometimes alone time is good time.”

新的研究显示，独处并非孤僻和抑郁的危险信号，选择独处的青少年可能了解最适合自己的是什么。

加利福尼亚大学圣克鲁兹分校和威尔明顿学院的研究者们表示，关键因素在于选择。不论作为惩罚还是源于社交焦虑，少年和青年被迫承受孤独时，都会问题重重。但研究者们同时也发现，主动选择独处能够促进个人成长和自我接纳。

玛格丽塔·阿兹米蒂亚是加利福尼亚大学圣克鲁兹分校的心理学教授，也是《青少年杂志》近期发表的一篇论文的作者之一。她说：“媒体对独处有很多负面报道，特别是有些青少年，被贴上了不合群或孤独的标签。有时，独处是件好事。就个人发展而言，学会独处是一项技能，有利于提神醒脑。”

阿兹米蒂亚说，先前的大部分研究都将独处与孤独或害羞混为一谈。“独处的孩子背负污名。他们被认为缺少社交技能，或被扣上‘不合群的帽子。”她说，“知道自己何时需要独处，何时需要与人接触，这是有益的。我们定量研究了独处的好处，将它与孤独或孤僻的代价区分开来。”

威尔明顿学院心理学助理教授弗吉尼娅·托马斯在阿兹米蒂亚实验室做研究生时发起这项研究，渐渐专门研究独处对自我认同发展和情绪健康的影响。

少年和青年主动选择独处，可以获得一个自我反思、创新表达或精神充电的机会。但被迫独处可能很棘手——这种时候他们是因为缺少朋友、感到尴尬、经历社交焦虑或受到惩罚而放弃与人交往。……