Comparing the Psychometric Properties among Three Versions of the UCLA Loneliness Scale in Individuals with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder

Chung-Ying Lin; Ching-Shu Tsai; Cian-Ruei Jian; Shu-Ru Chao; Peng-Wei Wang; Huang-Chi Lin; Mei-Feng Huang; Yi-Chun Yeh; Tai-Ling Liu; Cheng-Sheng Chen; Ya-Ping Lin; Shu-Ying Lee; Ching-Hua Chen; Yun-Chi Wang; Yu-Ping Chang; Yu-Min Chen; Cheng-Fang Yen

doi:10.3390/ijerph19148443

Comparing the Psychometric Properties among Three Versions of the UCLA Loneliness Scale in Individuals with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul 11;19(14):8443. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19148443.

Authors

Chung-Ying Lin^{1

2

3

4}, Ching-Shu Tsai^{5

6}, Cian-Ruei Jian^{7

8}, Shu-Ru Chao⁹, Peng-Wei Wang^{7

8}, Huang-Chi Lin^{7

8}, Mei-Feng Huang^{7

8}, Yi-Chun Yeh^{7

8}, Tai-Ling Liu^{7

8}, Cheng-Sheng Chen^{7

8}, Ya-Ping Lin^{7

8}, Shu-Ying Lee^{7

8}, Ching-Hua Chen¹⁰, Yun-Chi Wang¹⁰, Yu-Ping Chang¹¹, Yu-Min Chen⁷, Cheng-Fang Yen^{7

8

12}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
² Biostatistics Consulting Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
³ Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical Center, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan.
⁶ School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80756, Taiwan.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
⁹ Department of Social Work, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan.
¹⁰ Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80756, Taiwan.
¹¹ School of Nursing, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
¹² College of Professional Studies, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan.

Abstract

The UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3; UCLA-LSV3) is widely used for assessing loneliness. Nevertheless, the validity of this scale for assessing loneliness in individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder has not been determined. Additionally, studies validating the eight-item and three-item versions of UCLA-LSV3 have not included individuals with severe mental illness; therefore, whether the short versions are comparable to the full 20-item version of UCLA-LSV3 for this population is unclear. The present study examined the unidimensional structure, internal consistency, concurrent validity, and test-retest reliability of the Chinese versions of UCLA-LSV3 (i.e., 20-item, 8-item, and 3-item versions) to determine which version is most appropriate for assessing loneliness in individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder in Taiwan. A total of 300 participants (267 with schizophrenia and 33 with schizoaffective disorder) completed the scales, comprising UCLA-LSV3, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the suicidality module of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Epidemiological Version (K-SADS-E), and the family and peer Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve (APGAR) index. Construct validity was evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis. The three versions of UCLA-LSV3 were compared with the CES-D, the suicidality module of the K-SADS-E, and the family and peer APGAR index to establish concurrent validity. The results indicated that all three versions of UCLA-LSV3 exhibited acceptable to satisfactory psychometric properties in terms of unidimensional constructs, concurrent validity, and test-retest reliability. The full version of UCLA-LSV3 had the best performance, followed by the eight-item version and the three-item version. Moreover, the three versions had relatively strong associations with each other. Therefore, when deliberating which version of UCLA-LSV3 is the best choice for assessing loneliness in individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, healthcare providers and therapists should consider time availability and practicality.

Keywords: UCLA Loneliness Scale; confirmatory factor analysis; loneliness; psychological well-being; psychometric properties; schizoaffective; schizophrenia.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Humans
Loneliness / psychology
Psychometrics
Psychotic Disorders*
Reproducibility of Results
Schizophrenia*
Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This study was supported by a research grant from NPUST-KMU Joint Research Project (NPUST-KMU-111-P004) and Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital (grants KMUH110-0M61 and KMUH110-M004).