How (Not) to Measure Loneliness: A Review of the Eight Most Commonly Used Scales

Marlies Maes (), Pamela Qualter, Gerine M. A. Lodder and Marcus Mund
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Marlies Maes: Interdisciplinary Social Science: Youth Studies, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
Pamela Qualter: Manchester Institute of Education, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
Gerine M. A. Lodder: Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands
Marcus Mund: Personality Psychology and Psychological Assessment, Klagenfurt University, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-37

Abstract: Loneliness affects well-being and has long-term negative impacts on physical and mental health, educational outcomes, and employability. Because of those current and long-term impacts, loneliness is a significant issue for which we need reliable and appropriate measurement scales. In the current paper, psychometric properties of the eight most commonly used loneliness scales are reviewed both descriptively and meta-analytically. Results suggest that for many of the scales, the psychometric properties are promising. However, for some psychometric features, especially test-retest reliability and measurement invariance, evidence is rather scarce. Most striking, however, is the fact that all of the scales included items that do not measure loneliness. Surprisingly, for many (sub)scales, this was even the case for about half of the items. Because our measures are the foundation of our research work, it is crucial to improve the way loneliness is being measured.

Keywords: loneliness; measurement; psychometrics; factor structure; reliability; measurement invariance; loneliness types (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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