The structure of loneliness: A factor-analytic investigation

Abstract

To examine the question “What is loneliness?” and to examine the role of quantitative aspects of social relationships in loneliness, UCLA Loneliness Scale scores were factor-analyzed along with a broad range of social network variables assessing the satisfaction, frequency of contact, and number of relationships in four categories of social relationships: casual, close, romantic, and family. Subjects' comparisons of their current relationships to past relationships and to peers' relationships were also entered. The analysis indicated that the UCLA Loneliness Scale loaded only on the first factor, along with reported satisfaction with casual and close relationships and judgments that current relationships were better than in the past and were better than those of one's peers. Quantitative variables loaded on factors accounting for relatively little variance and were orthogonal to the factor most highly associated with loneliness. The results emphasize the relative importance of subjective judgments about adequacy of social relationships in accounting for loneliness.