Conceptualizations and measures of loneliness: a comparison of subscales

The present study evaluated and compared various self-rating loneliness instruments to determine the extent to which they measure either a single construct or many related constructs. 231 university students completed a test battery of seven popular loneliness scales: the de Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, the Differential Loneliness Scale, both the Russell and Wittenberg Social and Emotional Loneliness Scales, the Loneliness Rating Scale, the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA) and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. In a comparison of the 21 derivative subscales, a factor analysis indicated four correlated factors: social loneliness, emotional loneliness, negative affect and family loneliness. Issues of discussion included the substantial contribution of the UCLA Loneliness Scale to social loneliness, the almost exclusive composition of the negative affect factor of loneliness rating subscales and researchers choice among subscales available to assess social and emotional dimensions. Use of the SELSA was recommended based on its high internal consistency and substantial factor loadings on three of the four loneliness dimensions. Further research in subscale validation is suggested.