“No Time for Myself”: Personality Moderates Associations Between Positive Solitude and Parental Well-being

TL;DR

This study shows that having time to oneself daily helps parents feel less stressed and recover better, especially those with certain personality traits.

Contribution

The study reveals that personality traits moderate the benefits of positive solitude on parental well-being and cortisol recovery.

Findings

Parents experienced lower negative affect and steeper cortisol slopes on days with positive solitude.

High neuroticism and openness amplified the emotional benefits of positive solitude.

Positive solitude is a restorative resource for parents under daily stress.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine whether daily experiences of positive solitude—defined as time to oneself—relate to lower negative affect and healthier cortisol patterns in parents of underage children, and whether personality traits moderate these associations. A sample of 318 parents (Mage = 40.06 years; 45% male) with underage children completed up to 8 consecutive days of daily diaries (mood, positive solitude, stress exposure) and up to 4 days of saliva sampling (4 times/day) for cortisol analysis. Multilevel modeling examined within-person links between positive solitude, negative affect, and cortisol wake-evening slopes, controlling for daily stress. Results showed that on days when they had time to themselves, parents experienced lower negative affect and steeper cortisol slopes, indicating better stress recovery. The reduction in negative affect with positive solitude was stronger for parents high in neuroticism and openness, and high neuroticism was also linked with a stronger association between solitude and cortisol slopes. Findings underscore the potential restorative value of daily positive solitude for parents, particularly those high in neuroticism and openness. In the context of the high demands of parenting, positive solitude may serve as a valuable resource for emotional renewal, self-care, self-connection, and recovery from daily parenting stress.

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