UCLA Loneliness Scale

Abstract

The UCLA Loneliness Scale is one of the most widely utilized instruments for measuring loneliness as a subjective, distressing experience resulting from a deficit in social relationships. Developed and refined through several versions—including the original 1978 version, the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (1980), and the highly validated Version 3 (1996)—the scale assesses both the emotional and social components of perceived isolation. The scale is designed to be administered quickly and offers strong psychometric properties, making it a standard tool in psychological, sociological, and epidemiological research worldwide.

Keywords

loneliness, social isolation, companionship, psychological assessment, D. Russell, revised UCLA scale, psychometrics, social psychology

Authors

Daniel Russell, Letitia Anne Peplau, Mary L. Ferguson, Carolyn E. Cutrona, Mary E. Hughes, Linda J. Waite, Louise C. Hawkley, John T. Cacioppo

Purpose

The primary purpose of the UCLA Loneliness Scale is to provide a standardized, reliable, and valid measure of an individual’s subjective feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Unlike objective measures of social networks, this scale focuses specifically on the discrepancy between desired and actual levels of social contact and intimacy.

The evolution of the scale, particularly the transition from the original 20-item version (1978) to the Revised Scale (1980) and Version 3 (1996), aimed to improve internal consistency and provide a clearer, more robust measure that could be used across diverse populations, including college students, community samples, and older adults. The subsequent development of the 3-Item Short Form (2004) addressed the need for an efficient measure suitable for large-scale epidemiological surveys.

Construct

The scale measures loneliness, which is defined not simply as being alone (objective social isolation), but as the painful subjective feeling stemming from deficiencies in one’s personal and social relationships. The construct measured is generally viewed as encompassing three dimensions, particularly in the later versions: the feeling of being lonely, the lack of affiliation or companionship, and the sense of social dissatisfaction.

The items reflect both the emotional distress associated with isolation (e.g., “I feel completely alone”) and the cognitive appraisal of deficient social connection (e.g., “I lack companionship”). The inclusion of both positively and negatively worded items in the revised versions helps mitigate potential response biases, ensuring a more accurate capture of the underlying construct.

Validity

Extensive research supports the validity of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, especially Version 3. Concurrent validity has been demonstrated through strong correlations with other related measures, such as scales assessing depression, anxiety, social dissatisfaction, and self-esteem.

Discriminant validity is supported by evidence showing that while loneliness is related to constructs like depression, the scale measures a distinct, unique psychological state primarily focused on social deficits. The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (1980) specifically reported evidence for concurrent and discriminant validity, confirming its utility in distinguishing loneliness from general negative affect.

Reliability

The UCLA Loneliness Scale consistently demonstrates high internal reliability. Across various studies and populations, Version 3 of the scale typically yields Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.89 to 0.94, indicating excellent internal consistency.

Test-retest reliability is also robust, suggesting that the scale provides stable measurements of the construct over time, particularly when administered within a reasonable interval. The short-form version (Hughes et al., 2004) also maintains acceptable levels of reliability while significantly reducing administration time.

Factor Analysis

The 1996 publication detailing the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3) specifically investigated its factor structure. While the scale is often treated as a unidimensional measure of subjective loneliness, factor analysis has sometimes suggested a two-factor solution, differentiating between social isolation (lack of social integration) and emotional isolation (lack of intimate connection).

However, Russell (1996) ultimately concluded that the scale is best interpreted as measuring a single, underlying global factor of loneliness due to the high intercorrelation among the items and the strong general factor loading, supporting its use as a single overall score for research purposes.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Psychological rating scale

Format: 20 items (V3) or 3 items (Short Form), typically utilizing a 4-point Likert scale response format.

Language Available: Widely translated (e.g., Spanish, Chinese, German, Japanese, etc.).

Population Group: General population, clinical populations, college students, and older adults (especially the 3-Item Scale).

Age Group: Adolescents through older adulthood.

Population Details: Used extensively in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies globally to measure social well-being and risk factors associated with health outcomes.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate how often they experience the feeling described in each statement, usually ranging from “Never” to “Often.” Scoring involves summing responses, with specific items reverse-scored to account for positive phrasing. The original PDF containing the instrument can be downloaded here: http://fetzer.org/sites/default/files/images/stories/pdf/selfmeasures/Self_Measures_for_Love_and_Compassion_Research_LONELINESS_AND_INTERPERSONAL_PROBLEMS.pdf

Keywords

social integration, emotional distress, psychological scale, assessment tool, D. Russell, social deficits, social support

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The UCLA Loneliness Scale is generally considered to be in the public domain for research and clinical use, though researchers should always cite the appropriate foundational papers (Russell et al., 1978, 1980, 1996). The primary test years for the major versions are 1978 (Original), 1980 (Revised), 1996 (Version 3), and 2004 (3-Item Short Form).

Reference’s

• Russell, D, Peplau, L. A., & Ferguson, M. L. (1978). Developing a measure of loneliness. Journal of Personality Assessment, 42, 290-294.
• Russell, D, Peplau, L. A., & Cutrona, C. E. (1980). The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: Concurrent and discriminate validity evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 472-480.
• Russell, D. (1996). UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3): Reliability, validity, and factor structure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 66, 20-40.
• Hughes, Mary E., Linda J. Waite, Louise C. Hawkley, and John T. Cacioppo. (2004). A Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness in Large Surveys: Results From Two Population-Based Studies. Research on Aging, 26(6), 655-72.

Items of the UCLA Loneliness Scale

UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell et al., 1978)

1. I am unhappy doing so many things alone
2. I have nobody to talk to
3. I cannot tolerate being so alone
4. I lack companionship
5. I feel as if nobody really understands me
6. I find myself waiting for people to call or write
7. There is no one I can turn to
8. I am no longer close to anyone
9. My interests and ideas are not shared by those around me
10. I feel left out
11. I feel completely alone
12. I am unable to reach out and communicate with those around me
13. My social relationships are superficial
14. I feel starved for company
15. No one really knows me well
16. I feel isolated from others
17. I am unhappy being so withdrawn
18. It is difficult for me to make friends
19. I feel shut out and excluded by others
20. People are around me but not with me

Scoring: O’s =3, all S’s =2, all R’s =1, and all N’s =0

Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell et al., 1980)

1. I feel in tune with the people around me
2. I lack companionship
3. There is no one I can turn to
4. I do not feel alone
5. I feel part of a group of friends
6. I have a lot in common with the people around me
7. I am no longer close to anyone
8. My interests and ideas are not shared by those around me
9. I am an outgoing person
10. There are people I feel close to
11. I feel left out
12. My social relationships arc superficial
13. No one really knows me well
14. I feel isolated from others
15. I can find companionship when I want it
16. There are people who really understand me
17. I am unhappy being so withdrawn
18. People are around me but not with me
19. There are people I can talk to
20. There are people I can turn to

Scoring: 1 “Never”, 2 “Rarely”, 3 “Sometimes”, 4 “Often”. Items 1, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 16, 19, 20 are all reverse scored.

UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 (Russell et al., 1996)

1. How often do you feel that you are “in tune” with the people around you?
2. How often do you feel that you lack companionship?
3. How often do you feel that there is no one you can turn to?
4. How often do you feel alone?
5. How often do you feel part of a group of friends?
6. How often do you feel that you have a lot in common with the people around you?
7. How often do you feel that you are no longer close to anyone?
8. How often do you feel that your interests and ideas are not shared by those around you?
9. How often do you feel outgoing and friendly?
10. How often do you feel close to people?
11. How often do you feel left out?
12. How often do you feel that your relationships with others are not meaningful?
13. How often do you feel that no one really knows you well?
14. How often do you feel isolated from others?
15. How often do you fee1 you can find companionship when you want it?
16. How often do you feel that there are people who really understand you?
17. How often do you feel shy?
18. How often do you feel that people are around you but not with you?
19. How often do you feel that there are people you can talk to?
20. How often do you feel that there are people you can turn to?

Scoring: 1 “Never”, 2 “Rarely”, 3 “Sometimes”, 4 “Often”. Items 1, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 16, 19, 20 are all reverse scored.

The UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale (Hughes et al., 2004)

1. How often do you feel that you lack companionship?
2. How often do you feel left out?
3. How often do you feel isolated from others?

Scoring: 1 “Hardly ever”, 2 “Some of the time”, 3 “Often”