Shortened loneliness scale. Polish scientists have a new tool

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a public health issue, linked to poorer mental and physical health. Research during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated that 22% of participants experienced moderate loneliness. A study led by Andrzej Piotrowski from the University of Gdańsk aimed to refine the UCLA Loneliness Scale, reducing it from 20 to 4 statements while maintaining measurement reliability. The new scale was tested on over 3,000 participants and confirmed to effectively measure overall loneliness. However, it provides a single score rather than insights into different dimensions of loneliness. Further research is needed to validate its effectiveness across diverse demographics and track changes over time.