Parent and Peer Relationship Quality Correlates With Loneliness During the College Transition Authors: Maria D. Calderon Leon*, João F. Guassi Moreira, Natalie Saragosa-Harris, Yael Waizman, Anna Sedykin, Tara S. Peris, Ph.D., & Jennifer A. Silvers, Ph.D. Abstract: The transition to college involves many changes such as entering a new social environment. Consequently, individuals are particularly vulnerable to loneliness, which in turn affects physical, psychological, and academic outcomes. Therefore, it is vital to understand what factors may buffer against loneliness. Relationships with parents and friends are potential protective factors against loneliness. We explored how loneliness varies depending on parent and friend relationship quality. Specifically, we hypothesized a negative association between parent and friend relationship quality and loneliness. One hundred college freshmen completed self-report measures to assess loneliness and relationship quality. Results showed that higher parent and friend relationship quality were each independently associated with lower feelings of loneliness (Parent relationship quality: b= -0.29, S.E.= 0.05, t= -5.68, p< .001; Friend relationship quality: b= -0.51, S.E.= 0.06, t= -8.31, p< .001). These results highlight the importance of close relationships and suggest that targeting relationship quality could be effective in mitigating loneliness during the transition to college.