Measuring loneliness: Psychometric properties of the three-item loneliness scale among community-dwelling adults
Fernanda Daniel,
Helena Espírito-Santo,
Laura Lemos,
Sónia Guadalupe,
Isabel Barroso,
Alexandre Gomes da Silva,
Pedro Lopes Ferreira
Affiliations
Fernanda Daniel
Miguel Torga Institute of Higher Education, Coimbra, Portugal; Centre for Health Studies and Research of the University of Coimbra (CEISUC), Portugal
Helena Espírito-Santo
Miguel Torga Institute of Higher Education, Coimbra, Portugal; Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
Laura Lemos
Miguel Torga Institute of Higher Education, Coimbra, Portugal
Sónia Guadalupe
Miguel Torga Institute of Higher Education, Coimbra, Portugal; Centre for Health Studies and Research of the University of Coimbra (CEISUC), Portugal
Isabel Barroso
Miguel Torga Institute of Higher Education, Coimbra, Portugal
Alexandre Gomes da Silva
Centre for Health Studies and Research of the University of Coimbra (CEISUC), Portugal; Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra (IPC), Coimbra, Portugal
Pedro Lopes Ferreira
Centre for Health Studies and Research of the University of Coimbra (CEISUC), Portugal; Faculty of Economics (FEUC), University of Coimbra, Portugal; Corresponding author. Centre for Health Studies and Research of the University of Coimbra (CEISUC), Av Duias da Silva 165, 3004-512 Coimbra, Portugal.
Loneliness is a prevalent set of negative feelings associated with unsatisfactory and reduced social interactions, inadequate social support, poor satisfaction with life and health, negative emotions, and economic burden. Thus, its measurement is of foremost importance. Therefore, this study aimed (i) to devise the Portuguese version of the three-Item Loneliness Scale (T-ILS), which is ideal for epidemiological studies, and (ii) to evaluate its psychometric properties.Three hundred forty-five community-dwelling Portuguese adults with a mean age of 54.6 ± 19.5 years, 61.7% women, recruited door-to-door, were assessed with the Portuguese versions of T-ILS, Satisfaction With Life Scale-SWLS, Lubben Social Network Scale 6-items-LSNS-6, a question regarding Happiness/Unhappiness, and a sociodemographic questionnaire.The T-ILS showed good psychometric properties and correlated moderately with SWLS and LSNS-6, and happiness, and weakly with the number of people in the household.The Portuguese version of the T-ILS proved to be a valid and reliable instrument, easy and quick to administer. It proved to be a valuable tool in screening loneliness in Portugal, being potentially useful to the identification of lonelier people in need of intervention.
