A Short-Form Measure of Loneliness
Abstract
The revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-20) and a four-item short form (ULS-4) are widely used in personality research (Russell, Peplau, & Cutrona, 1980). In an exploratory factor analysis of the ULS-20, we identified eight items that loaded substantially on the first factor. These items were combined to form an alternative short-form measure, the ULS-8. The results of this study indicate that the ULS-8 is reliable, valid, and a better substitute for the ULS-20 than is the ULS-4. Consistent with the previous research, the loneliness measures (ULS-20, ULS-8, ULS-4) were strongly related to socially undesirable personality characteristics, but loneliness was uncorrelated with the six different health-related behaviors (exercise, meal regularity, alcohol use, hard drug use, smoking, and hours of sleep) assessed in this study.
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References 37 · Cited by 1,192
- Authors
- Hays, R., & DiMatteo, M. R.
- Affiliations
- RAND Corporation (US)
- ORCID
- Hays, Ron
- Venue
- Journal of Personality Assessment
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1987-03-01
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 69-81
- ISSN
- 0022-3891 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1972001034
- Cited by
- 1,192
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 149 · 2025: 191 · 2024: 109 · 2023: 143 · 2022: 130 · 2021: 113 · 2020: 61 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 38 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 2.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality Assessment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- loneliness, UCLA Loneliness Scale, short-form scale, scale reduction, factor structure, personality traits, health behavior, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, sleep
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Health, Humans, Internal-External Control, Loneliness, Male, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Personality Inventory, Social Isolation, Statistics as Topic
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