In a world where we can be connected almost all the time, what does it mean to have time for ourselves? And perhaps more importantly, how do we understand our need for that time?
I’m very happy to share a new publication in Acta Psychologica, led by my (now former!) PhD student Dr. Liza Keessen, together with Sindy Sumter, Annemarie van Oosten, and myself. The article, Measuring the Need for Solitude in Emerging Adulthood: Development and Validation of the Need for Solitude (NFS) Scale, tackles a topic that I see as increasingly important in our digitally connected society: solitude.
For certainty, solitude is not the same as loneliness. And wanting time for ourselves does not mean we don’t want meaningful connections with others. Yet, too often, discussions about (young) people and digital media focus almost exclusively on connection: whether social media makes us more or less lonely, whether we’re spending enough time together, or whether technology is replacing face-to-face interaction. These are important questions. But they overlook something equally important: our need for solitude. Solitude can offer opportunities to reflect, recharge, and simply be with ourselves. And that need may look different for different people.
In this new study, Liza and the team developed and validated a 14-item Need for Solitude Scale, designed to measure how strongly (young) adults feel the need to take time for themselves. Across two studies with young adults aged 18–25 in the Netherlands and United Kingdom, the findings demonstrate that the need for solitude is measurable and distinct from related experiences such as loneliness, social anxiety, and introversion. For me, this is an important contribution because if we want to understand how digital technology affects our need for solitude, we first need to be able to measure that need well.
And here’s where things get extra fun: We often assume that digital technology is the enemy of solitude. That being online necessarily means being connected, distracted, or socially engaged. But Liza’s broader doctoral dissertation, Me-Time in the Digital Age, challenges that assumption.
Spoiler alert: Digital technology can support solitude, too.
Her research shows that whether digital experiences support or undermine solitude depends on the design of the technology, the individual’s needs, and what someone hopes to gain from their time alone. Not all screen time is created equal, and not all time spent online is necessarily time spent socially connecting. Her work is an important reminder that our conversations about digital well-being need to move beyond simple binaries: online versus offline, connected versus disconnected, good versus bad. We need to understand what people need, when they need it, and how digital environments might help or hinder those needs. I’m proud of Liza’s work and look forward to seeing how this new measure can support the next generation of research on solitude and digital life. Because in a world that makes connection easier than ever, understanding the value of time for ourselves may be just as important.
Read more:
- New article: Measuring the Need for Solitude in Emerging Adulthood (Acta Psychologica, 2026)
- Liza Keessen’s dissertation: Me-Time in the Digital Age (University of Amsterdam, 2026)
[Note: Image is rendered by generative AI]