Loneliness in the Adults After COVID-19: Psychometric Properties of the UCLA Loneliness Scale Short Form (UCLA LSSF-6)

Year 2023, Issue: 32, 1 - 17, 31.01.2023

Hakan Sarıçam

https://doi.org/10.54600/igdirsosbilder.1066242

Cited By: 3

Abstract

The basic aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the UCLA Loneliness Scale Short Form-6 in Turkish adults. In addition, the loneliness scores of adults were compared. The study group of the research consists of 604 (295 + 309) adults selected by convenience sampling. In the linguistic equivalence study, the correlation coefficients between the Turkish and English items were found to be between 68 and .98 (p < .00). As a result of the explanatory factor analysis, the KMO coefficient was .82, and the result of the Bartlett Sphericity test was χ2= 452.035 (p<.001, df=15). The fit index values of the one-dimensional model as a result of confirmatory factor analysis ((χ2(24.37)/df(9)= 2.71, AGFI=.92, CFI=.96, GFI=.96, IFI=.96, NFI=.95, NNFI=.94, RFI=92, RMSEA= .076, SRMR=.047); It was seen that item factor loadings ranged between .35 and .70. Cronbach alpha internal consistency reliability coefficients were calculated as α= .77. In the concurrent validity study, the correlations were found between UCLA LSSF6, UCLA Loneliness Scale and Rotterdam Emotional Intelligence Scale with a significance level of p<.01, r=.83, r=-.56, respectively. The adjusted item-total correlation coefficients ranged from .32 to .58. It has also been found that middle-aged and older adults are lonelier than emerging adults

Keywords

Loneliness, Scale, Elderly

COVID-19 Sonrası Yetişkinlerde Yalnızlık: UCLA Yalnızlık Ölçeği Kısa Formunun (UYÖKF-6) Psikometrik Özellikleri

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın temel amacı UCLA Yalnızlık Ölçeği Kısa Formunun Türk yetişkinlerde psikometrik özelliklerini incelemektir. Ayrıca yetişkinlerin yalnızlık puanları karşılaştırılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu kolayda örnekleme ile seçilmiş 604 (295 + 309) yetişkin birey oluşturmaktadır. Dilsel eşdeğerlik çalışmasında Türkçe ve İngilizce formlar arasında korelasyon katsayıları 68 ile .98 (p<.00) arasında bulunmuştur. Açımlayıcı faktör analizi sonucu KMO örneklem uygunluk katsayısı .82 ve Bartlett Sphericity testi sonucu χ2= 452.035 (p<.001, sd=15) olarak saptanmıştır. Doğrulayıcı faktör analizi sonucu 6 maddelik tek boyutlu modelin uyum indeksi değerleri (χ2(24.37)/sd(9)= 2.71, AGFI=.92, CFI=.96, GFI=.96, IFI=.96, NFI=.95, NNFI=.94, RFI=92, RMSEA= .076, SRMR=.047) olup; madde faktör yüklerinin .35 ile .70 arasında sıralandığı görülmüştür. Cronbach alfa iç tutarlık güvenirlik katsayısı α= .77 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Eşzamanlı geçerlik çalışmasında, UCLA YÖKF-6 ile UCLA Yalnızlık Ölçeği ve Rotterdam Duygusal Zekâ Ölçeği arasında sırasıyla r=.83, r=-.56 p<.01 önem düzeyinle ilişki bulunmuştur. Düzeltilmiş madde toplam korelasyon katsayılarının .32 ile .58 arasında sıralandığı görülmüştür. Ayrıca orta-yaşlı yetişkinlerin beliren yetişkinlerden daha yalnız olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

Keywords

Yalnızlık, UCLA, Ölçek, Yaşlılar

References

• Akgül, H. (2020). Yetişkinler İçin Sosyal ve Duygusal Yalnızlık Ölçeğinin (SELSA-S) Türk kültürüne uyarlaması: Geçerlilik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Yalova Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 10(21), 54-69.
• Akgül, H., & Yeşilyaprak, B. (2015). Yaşlılar İçin Yalnızlık Ölçeğinin Türk kültürüne uyarlanması. Yaşlı Sorunları Araştırma Dergisi, 8(1), 34-45.
• Altschul, D., Iveson, M., & Deary, I. (2021). Generational differences in loneliness and its psychological and sociodemographic predictors: An exploratory and confirmatory machine learning study. Psychological Medicine, 51(6), 991–1000. DOI:10.1017/S0033291719003933
• Arpino, B., Mair, C., Quashie, N., & Antczak, R. (2021, September 28). Loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Are unpartnered and childless older adults at higher risk?. DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/6v7bg
• Asher, S. R., & Paquette, J. A. (2003). Loneliness and peer relations in childhood. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12(3), 75–78. DOI: 10.1111/1467-8721.01233
• Aylaz, R., Akturk, U., Erci, B., Ozturk, H., & Aslan, H. (2012). Relationship between depression and loneliness in elderly and examination of influential factors. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 55, 548–554. DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2012.03.006
• Barreto, M., Victor, C., Hammond, C., Eccles, A., Richins, M. T., & Qualter, P. (2021). Loneliness around the world: Age, gender, and cultural differences in loneliness. Personality and Individual Differences, 169, 110066. DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110066
• Berg, J. H., & Peplau, L. A. (1982). Loneliness: The relationship of self-disclosure and androgyny. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8(4), 624–630. DOI: 10.1177/0146167282084004 Bowlby, J. (1960). Separation anxiety. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 41, 89–113.
• Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2017). Sosyal bilimler için veri analizi el kitabı (23. Baskı). Ankara: Pegem Akademik Yayıncılık.
• Cacioppo, J. T., & Cacioppo, S. (2014). Social relationships and health: The toxic effects of perceived social ısolation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 8(2), 58–72. DOI: 10.1111/spc3.12087
• Cigna (2018). Cigna US Loneliness Index: Survey of 20,000 Americans Examining Behaviors Driving Loneliness in the United States. Available at: https://www.cigna.com/assets/docs/newsroom/loneliness-survey-2018-updated-fact-sheet.pdf
• Cohen, S., & Syme, S. L. (Eds.). (1985). Social support and health. Academic Press.
• Coyle, C. E., & Dugan, E. (2012). Social isolation, loneliness and health among older adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 24(8), 1346–1363. DOI: 10.1177/0898264312460275
• Cutrona, C. E. (1982). Transition to college: Loneliness and the process of social adjustment. In L. A. Peplau, & D. Pearlman (Eds.), Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research and practice (pp. 291-309). New York: Wiley Interscience.
• Czaja, S. J., Moxley, J. H., & Rogers, W. A. (2021). Social support, ısolation, loneliness, and health among older adults in the PRISM Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 728658. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.728658
• Çetin, C., & Anuk, Ö. (2020). Covid-19 pandemi sürecinde yalnızlık ve psikolojik dayanıklılık: Bir kamu üniversitesi öğrencileri örneklemi. Avrasya Sosyal ve Ekonomi Araştırmaları Dergisi, COVID-19 Özel Sayısı 2, 170-189.
• Dahlberg, L. (2021). Loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aging & Mental Health, 25(7), 1161–1164.
• Demarinis S. (2020). Loneliness at epidemic levels in America. Explore (New York, N.Y.), 16(5), 278–279. DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2020.06.008
• Demir, A. (1989). UCLA Yalnızlık Ölçeği'nin geçerlik ve güvenirliği. Psikoloji Dergisi, 7(23), 14-18.
• DiTommaso, E., & Spinner, B. (1993). The development and initial validation of the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA). Personality and Individual Differences, 14(1), 127–134. DOI: 10.1016/0191-8869(93)90182-3.
• Donovan, N. J., & Blazer, D. (2020). Social isolation and loneliness in older adults: Review and commentary of a national academies report. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(12), 1233–1244. DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2020.08.005
• Ellison, C. W. (1978). Loneliness: A social-developmental analysis. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 6(1), 3-17.
• Fakoya, A., McCorry, K., & Donnelly, M. (2020). Loneliness and social isolation interventions for older adults: A scoping review of reviews. BMC Public Health, 20, 129. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-8251-6
• Garber, M. M. (1989). Loneliness: A study in cognitive discrepancy. Theses Digitization Project. 455. Avaliable at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/455
• Gönültaş, M., & Sarıçam, H. (2021). A Scale of Knowledge and Awareness About Child Molesters (KACMS): Validity and reliability study. Turkish Journal of Applied Social Work, 4(2), 116-126. DOI: 10.54467/trjasw.1021951
• Groarke, J. M., Berry, E., Graham-Wisener, L., McKenna-Plumley, P. E., McGlinchey, E., & Armour, C. (2020). Loneliness in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-sectional results from the COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study. PloS one, 15(9), e0239698. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239698
• Guadagni, V., Umilta’, A., & Iaria, G. (2020). Sleep quality, empathy, and mood during the isolation period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Canadian population: females and women suffered the most. Frontiers in Global Women's Health, 23(1), 585938. DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2020.585938
• Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2010). Loneliness matters: A theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms. Annals of Behavioral Medicine: A Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 40(2), 218–227. DOI: 10.1007/s12160-010-9210-8
• Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2003). Loneliness and pathways to disease. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 17(Suppl. 1), 98-105.
• Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: A meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237. DOI: 10.1177/1745691614568352
• Jones, W. H., Hobbs, S. A., & Hockenbury, D. (1982). Loneliness and social skill deficits. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42(4), 682–689. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.42.4.682
• Kiefer, C. W. (1980). Loneliness and the Japanese. In J. Hartog, J. R. Audy, & Y. A. Cohen (Eds.), The anatomy of loneliness (pp. 425-450). New York: International Universities Press.
• Kline, P. (1994). An easy guide to factor analysis. New York: Routledge.
• Kobayashi, L. C., & Steptoe, A. (2018). Social isolation, loneliness, and health behaviors at older age: longitudinal cohort study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52, 582–593. DOI: 10.1093/abm/kax033
• Kremers, E. M., Janssen, J. H. M., Nieuwboer, M. S., Olde Rikkert, M. G. M., & Peeters, G. M. E. E. G. (2022). The psychosocial adaptability of independently living older adults to COVID-19 related social isolation in the Netherlands: A qualitative study. Health Social Care Community, 30(1), e67–e74. DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13436
• Lin, W. L., & Yao, G. (2014). Concurrent Validity. In: Michalos, A.C. (Eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_516
• Lövdén, M., Ghisletta, P., & Lindenberger, U. (2005). Social participation attenuates decline in perceptual speed in old and very old age. Psychology and Aging, 20(3), 423–434. DOI: 10.1037/0882-7974.20.3.423
• Mäkiniemi, J.-P., Oksanen, A., & Mäkikangas, A. (2021). Loneliness and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: The moderating roles of personal, social and organizational resources on perceived stress and exhaustion among Finnish University employees. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 7146. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18137146
• Müller, F., Röhr, S., Reininghaus, U., & Riedel-Heller, S. G. (2021). Social isolation and loneliness during COVID-19 lockdown: Associations with depressive symptoms in the German old-age population. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3615. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073615
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). (2020). Social isolation and loneliness in older adults: Opportunities for the health care system. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Avaliable at: https://doi.org/10.17226/25663
• Neto, F. (2014). Psychometric analysis of the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-6) in older adults. European Journal of Ageing, 11, 313–319. DOI: 10.1007/s10433-014-0312-1.
• Office for National Statistics, ONS. (2018). Children’s and Young People’s Experiences of Loneliness: 2018. London: Office for National Statistics. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/childrensandyoungpeoplesexperiencesofloneliness/2018
• Office for National Statistics, ONS. (2021). Mapping Loneliness During the Coronavirus Pandemic: 2021. London: Office for National Statistics. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/mappinglonelinessduringthecoronaviruspandemic/2021-04-07
• Pai, N., & Vella, S.-L. (2021). COVID-19 and loneliness: A rapid systematic review. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 55(12), 1144–1156. DOI: 10.1177/00048674211031489
• Pekaar, K. A., Bakker, A. B., van der Linden, D., & Born, M. P. (2018). Self- and other-focused emotional intelligence: Development and validation of the Rotterdam Emotional Intelligence Scale (REIS). Personality and Individual Differences, 120, 222-233. DOI:10.1016/J.PAİD.2017.08.045
• Peng, S., & Roth, A. R (2021). Social isolation and loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study of U.S. adults older than 50. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, gbab068. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab068
• Peplau, L. A., & Perlman, D. (1982). Theoretical approaches to loneliness. In L. A. Peplau and D. Perlman (Eds), Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research, and therapy (pp 123-134). New York: Wiley-Interscience.
• Russell, D. W. (1982). The measurement of loneliness. In: Peplau LA, Perlman D (Eds) Loneliness: a sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy (pp 379-405). New York: Wiley.
• Russell, D. W. (1996). UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3): Reliability, validity, and factor structure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 66(1), 20–40. DOI:10.1207/s15327752jpa6601_2
• Russell, D., Peplau, L. A., & Ferguson, M. L. (1978). Developing a measure of loneliness. Journal of Personality Assessment, 42(3), 290–294. DOI:10.1207/s15327752jpa4203_11
• Russell, D., Peplau, L. A., & Cutrona, C. E. (1980). The revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: Concurrent and discriminant validity evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(3), 472–480. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.39.3.472
• Sarıçam, H. (2021). Genç yetişkinler ile yaşlıların otantiklik, yaşamda anlam, mutluluk, affedicilik ve yalnızlık düzeylerinin karşılaştırılması. Doktora tezi. Gazi Üniversitesi, Ankara.
• Sarıçam, H. (2011). Üniversite öğrencilerinin reddedilme duyarlılıkları ile benlik saygıları ve yalnızlık düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi. Yüksek lisans tezi. Atatürk Üniversitesi, Erzurum.
• Sarıçam, H., & Çelik, İ. (2018, Nisan). Rotterdam Duygusal Zekâ Ölçeğinin Türkçe versiyonunun geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. 27. Uluslararası Eğitim Bilimleri Kongresi Tam Metin Kitabı (ss.1545-1548). Ankara: PegemA Yay. Doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.12204.77445
• Sarıçam, H., & Mert, A. (2020). Düşünce Kontrol Yeteneği Ölçeğinin Türkçe versiyonu: Bir ölçek uyarlama çalışması. Mersin Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 16(2), 254-270. DOI: 10.17860/mersinefd.619831
• Sarıçam, H., Mert, A., & Çelik, İ. (2019). Güçlü Yönler Öz-yeterlik Ölçeğinin Türkçe versiyonunun psikometrik özellikleri. OPUS Uluslararası Toplum Araştırmaları Dergisi, 14(20), 288-313. DOI: 10.26466/opus.587269
• Statista. (2021). How often do you feel lonely? Avaliable at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1222815/loneliness-among-adults-by-country/
• Sullivan, H. S. (1953). The interpersonal theory of psychiatry. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.
• Sundström, A., Adolfsson, A. N., Nordin, M., & Adolfsson, R. (2020). Loneliness increases the risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. J. Gerontol. B Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci. 75, 919–926. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbz139
• Tavşancıl, E. (2005). Tutumların ölçülmesi ve SPSS ile veri analizi. (İkinci Baskı). Ankara: Nobel.
• Thoits, P. A. (2011). Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 52, 145–161.
• Torres, J. L., Braga, L. S., Moreira, B. S., Castro, C. M. S., Vaz, C. T., Andrade, Fabíola Bof Andrade, A. C. S. … Caiaffa, W. T. (2021). Loneliness and social disconnectedness in the time of pandemic period among Brazilians: Evidence from the ELSI COVID-19 initiative. Aging & Mental Health, Advance publications. DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1913479
• Valtorta, N. K., & Hanratty, B. (2012). Loneliness, isolation and the health of older adults: Do we need a new research agenda? Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 10(2), 518–522. DOI:10.1258/jrsm.2012.120128
• van Tilburg, T. G. (2021). Emotional, social, and existential loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Prevalence and risk factors among Dutch older adults. The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, gbab101. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab101
• van Tilburg, T.G., & de Jong Gierveld, J. (1999). Cesuurbepaling van de enzaamheidsschaal (Cutting scores on the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale). Tijdschrift voor Gerontologie en Geriatrie, 30, 158–163.
• Valtorta, N. K., Kanaan, M., & Gilbody, S. (2016). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: Systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies. Heart, 102, 1009–1016. DOI: 10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308790
• Weiss, R. S. (1973). Loneliness: The experience of emotional and social isolation. The MIT Press.
• Xia, N., & Li, H. (2018). Loneliness, social isolation, and cardiovascular health. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 28, 837–851. DOI: 10.1089/ars.2017.7312
• Yıldız, M. A., & Duy, M. (2014). Adaptation of the short-form of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8) to Turkish for the adolescents. Düşünen Adam The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences, 27, 194–203.