Association Between Support of Basic Psychological Needs and Stress Response As Mediated by Motivation for Solitude

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2024 Jun 21

PMID 38905167

Authors

Gen Takagi

Michiaki Shibata

Yumi Nakagawa

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between not self-determined / self-determined solitude and stress responses, as well as the effect of supporting / thwarting of basic psychological needs. The sample consisted of 606 Japanese people aged 20 years and older. We used a cross-sectional survey to measure their motivations for solitude, supporting / thwarting of basic psychological needs, and stress responses. Not self-determined solitude was negatively correlated with supporting of basic psychological needs and positively correlated with thwarting of basic psychological needs. In addition, a cutoff score of 16 for not self-determined solitude was found to be optimal for identifying individuals with a high stress response. Mediation analysis revealed that supporting / thwarting of basic psychological needs has direct effects on stress responses and indirect effects mediated by not self-determined solitude. These findings suggest that fostering environments that support basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness can alleviate not self-determined solitude and reduce stress responses.

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