INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND QUALITY OF FRIENDSHIPS ON LONELINESS AND BURNOUT AMONG REMOTE WORKERS IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

This study investigated the predictive roles of social support and friendship quality on loneliness and burnout among remote workers in Southwestern Nigeria. Grounded in Social Needs Theory and Social Support Theory, the research adopted an ex-post facto design and drew a sample of 384 remote workers selected through Snow-balling sampling. Participants completed validated measures: the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), UCLA Loneliness Scale, Friendship Quality Scale (FQS), and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Data were analyzed using multiple regression and MANOVA techniques. Results revealed that both social support and friendship quality significantly and independently predicted lower levels of loneliness and burnout. Together, they explained 18.7% and 14.9% of the variance in loneliness and burnout, respectively. Gender and marital status were also significant predictors: male and single remote workers reported higher levels of loneliness and burnout than their female and married counterparts. These findings underscore the critical role of interpersonal resources in safeguarding psychological well-being in virtual work environments. The study contributes to organizational psychology by highlighting how supportive relationships buffer against emotional distress in remote work settings. It offers practical recommendations for workplace policy, including gender-sensitive interventions, peer-bonding programs, and integration of mental health resources into remote work strategies. Future research is encouraged to explore mediating factors and to employ longitudinal and mixed method approaches to further understand emotional well-being in evolving digital work contexts. Keywords: Remote Work, Social Support, Friendship Quality, Loneliness, Burnout, Nigeria, Employee Well-Being. Word count: 225