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UCLA Loneliness Scale

UCLA Loneliness Scale

The UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russel, Peplau & Ferguson, 1978) is a 20-item scale designed to measure loneliness. Different versions have been created which include a subset of the original 20 items.

Reference

Russel, D., Peplau, L. A., & Ferguson, M. L. (1978). Developing a Measure of Loneliness. Journal of Personality Assessment, 42(3), 290-294. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4203_11

List of questions

Question number

Question

Original 20-item version

4-item version

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I am unhappy being so withdrawn.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.

 

Items which are not included in the original version

21

How often do you feel lonely? 

 

Use of this scale in CLOSER Discovery study questionnaires and datasets

Version

Study

Year

Questionnaire

Dataset

4-item version

BCS70

2020

BCS70 Age 50 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1

BCS70 COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset

4-item version

BCS70

2020

BCS70 Age 50 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2

BCS70 COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset

4-item version

BCS70

2021

BCS70 Age 50 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3

BCS70 COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset

4-item version

MCS

2020

MCS Age 20 Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1

MCS Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset

4-item version

MCS

2020

MCS Age 20 Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2

MCS Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset

4-item version

MCS

2020

MCS Age 20 Parent COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1

MCS Parent COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset

4-item version

MCS

2020

MCS Age 20 Parent COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2

MCS Parent COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset

4-item version

MCS

2021

MCS Age 20 Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3

MCS Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset

4-item version

MCS

2021

MCS Age 20 Parent COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3

MCS Parent COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset

4-item version

NCDS

2020

NCDS Age 62 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1

NCDS COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset

4-item version

NCDS

2020

NCDS Age 62 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2

NCDS COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset

4-item version

NCDS

2021

NCDS Age 62 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3

NCDS COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset

4-item version

Next Steps

2020

Next Steps Age 30 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1

Next Steps COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset

4-item version

Next Steps

2020

Next Steps Age 30 COVID-19 Survey (2020) - Wave 2

Next Steps COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset

4-item version

Next Steps

2021

Next Steps Age 30 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3

Next Steps COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset

4-item version

NSHD

2020

NSHD 2020 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1

2020 COVID 19 Survey Wave 1 (Age 74) Dataset

4-item version

NSHD

2020

NSHD COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2

2020 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2 Dataset

4-item version

NSHD

2021

NSHD COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3

2020 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3 Dataset

4-item version

WCHADS

2020-2021

WCHADS Phase 15 Mother COVID Only Questionnaire

-

4-item version

WCHADS

2020-2021

WCHADS Phase 15 Mother COVID Retest

-

-

GenScot

2022

NGS Mental Health Questionnaire 12to15

NGS Mental Health Questionnaire 12to15

-

GenScot

-

NGS Mental Health Questionnaire 16 Plus

-

 

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