B - 96 Assessing the Factor Structure of Social Connectedness and its Psychopathological Correlates.

Abstract

Since COVID-19, social isolation has become increasingly prevalent, impacting neurocognitive, physical, and psychological health. Assessment of psychological functioning involves gauging levels of social dysfunction, particularly ones that capture psychopathological correlates. The current study aimed to explore the factor structure of the Social Connectedness Scale (SCS) as well as the predictive nature of depression and anhedonia on factor loadings of the SCS. Past studies established the SCS as a one-factor scale, however, social disconnection is observed in individuals with various pathologies, suggesting a multifaceted nature to this construct. A university population (N = 383) was given the SCS, the Revised-Social Anhedonia Scale-Short Form (RSAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-2) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). An exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation and maximum likelihood extraction yielded three factors explaining 60% of the variance. Factor 1 (factor loadings between 0.48 and 0.78) reflected overall feelings of disconnection from the world, and 35% of the variance. Factor two (factor loadings between 0.57 and 0.78) contributed 16% of the variance, measuring closeness with friends and family. Factor three (factor loadings between 0.61and 0.69) explained 6% of the variance, measuring stranger adaptability. A hierarchical linear regression show RSAS and BDI predicting more variance for factor 1 (R2 = 0.43) than factor 2 (R2 = 0.31) or factor 3 (R2 = 0.17), all ps < 0.01. These results did not replicate a one-factor structure similar to past studies, supporting a multidimensional and complex nature of social connection. Measurement of social connection dimensions may be particularly relevant to assessment of individuals with mixed neuropsychological and psychopathological features.