UCLA Loneliness Scale

Owned by Claudia Alioto
Last updated: May 10, 2024
3 min read

Reference

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

List of questions

Question numberQuestionOriginal 20-item versionCLS 4-item version
1I am unhappy doing so many things alone.✓
2I have nobody to talk to.✓
3I cannot tolerate being so alone.✓
4I lack companionship.✓✓
5I feel as if nobody really understands me.✓
6I find myself waiting for people to call or write.✓
7There is no one I can turn to.✓
8I am no longer close to anyone.✓
9My interests and ideas are not shared by those around me.✓
10I feel left out.✓✓
11I feel completely alone.✓
12I am unable to reach out and communicate with those around me.✓
13My social relationships are superficial.✓
14I feel starved for company.✓
15No one really knows me well.✓
16I feel isolated from others.✓✓
17I am unhappy being so withdrawn.✓
18It is difficult for me to make friends.✓
19I feel shut out and excluded by others.✓
20People are around me but not with me.✓
Items which are not included in the original version
21How often do you feel lonely? 
✓

Use of this scale in CLOSER Discovery study questionnaires and datasets

VersionStudyYearQuestionnaireDataset
4-item versionBCS702020BCS70 Age 50 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1BCS70 COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset
4-item versionBCS702020BCS70 Age 50 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2BCS70 COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset
4-item versionBCS702021BCS70 Age 50 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3BCS70 COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset
4-item versionMCS2020MCS Age 20 Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1MCS Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset
4-item versionMCS2020MCS Age 20 Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2MCS Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset
4-item versionMCS2020MCS Age 20 Parent COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1MCS Parent COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset
4-item versionMCS2020MCS Age 20 Parent COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2MCS Parent COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset
4-item versionMCS2021MCS Age 20 Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3MCS Cohort Member COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset
4-item versionMCS2021MCS Age 20 Parent COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3MCS Parent COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset
4-item versionNCDS2020NCDS Age 62 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1NCDS COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset
4-item versionNCDS2020NCDS Age 62 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2NCDS COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset
4-item versionNCDS2021NCDS Age 62 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3NCDS COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset
4-item versionNext Steps2020Next Steps Age 30 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1Next Steps COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 1 Dataset
4-item versionNext Steps2020Next Steps Age 30 COVID-19 Survey (2020) - Wave 2Next Steps COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 2 Dataset
4-item versionNext Steps2021Next Steps Age 30 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3Next Steps COVID-19 Survey in Five National Longitudinal Cohort Studies (2020) Wave 3 Dataset
4-item versionNSHD2020NSHD 2020 COVID-19 Survey - Wave 1-
4-item versionNSHD2020NSHD COVID-19 Survey - Wave 2-
4-item versionNSHD2021NSHD COVID-19 Survey - Wave 3-
4-item versionWCHADS2020-2021WCHADS Phase 15 Mother COVID-19 Only Questionnaire-
4-item versionWCHADS2020-2021WCHADS Phase 15 Mother COVID-19 Retest-