Sanchis Sanchis, AlejandroRuiz Ordóñez, YolandaAragonés Barberá, InmaculadaGrau Sevilla, María Dolores2026-09-072026-09-072026-090001-6918https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12466/7756CRediT authorship contribution statement Alejandro Sanchis-Sanchis: Writing – original draft, Funding acquisition, Conceptualization. Yolanda Ruiz-Ordonez: ˜ Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Methodology. Inmaculada Aragones ´ Barbera: ´ Writing – review & editing, Methodology, Conceptualization. María Dolores Grau Sevilla: Writing – original draft, Supervision, Conceptualization.Loneliness is a complex phenomenon associated with significant effects on the quality of life and mental health of emerging adults. The objectives were to assess the behavioral profiles of emerging adults based on anxiety, depression, purpose in life, emotional regulation, and perceived social support, and to compare differences in loneliness according to the resulting behavioral profiles. A sample of 376 individuals aged 19 to 29 was evaluated. The study identified three loneliness profiles among emerging adults. The first group, characterized by high social support and purpose in life, exhibited lower levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. In contrast, the second and third groups, with low social support and greater use of emotional suppression, showed higher levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The inverse relationship between purpose in life and loneliness highlighted the potential protective function of a strong sense of purpose. Findings emphasized the need for tailored interventions to improve mental health and strengthen social support networks.engAttribution 4.0 International© 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.Vhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/journal article2026-07-20https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107482open accessLonelinessEmerging adulthoodEmotion regulationMeaning in life Psychopathology61 Psicología