UCLA Loneliness Scale
See what the scale measures, how it is scored, and how a result is read against the population that actually fits you.
The UCLA Loneliness Scale measures subjective loneliness - the gap between the connection a person wants and the connection they feel they have. It is the most widely used loneliness measure in the world. Loneliness is a common and changeable feeling that almost everyone experiences at some point; this is a read on how you feel right now, not a diagnosis or a verdict on you.
The model
What it measures
The scale measures one thing: how lonely a person feels - their sense of social connection or disconnection. It is deliberately unidimensional, giving a single overall reading rather than separate scored subscales.
The aspects below are conceptual facets of how loneliness shows up in everyday life - feeling left out, feeling that no one really knows you, missing companionship - not separately scored dimensions. A mix of positively and negatively worded statements (the positive ones reverse-keyed) keeps the scale from simply rewarding agreement, and the items are summed into one total. A higher score means more loneliness, and it can move with circumstances and effort.
- LNLoneliness
Subjective loneliness - the felt gap between the connection you want and the connection you have.
Facets: Feeling left out, Lack of companionship, Feeling unknown, Social disconnection.
The evidence
Science and validity
The UCLA Loneliness Scale is one of the most thoroughly researched measures of social connection. Internal consistency is consistently high - Cronbach's alpha typically falls between about .89 and .94 for the 20-item Version 3 - and it correlates in the expected directions with depression, social-network size and health outcomes; in older adults it even predicts later health. A widely used 3-item short form, validated against the full scale, is the standard loneliness measure in large population surveys.
You rate each statement for how often it applies to you. The positively worded (non-loneliness) statements are reverse-keyed so that, after reversal, a higher value always means more loneliness, and the items are summed (Version 3 runs 20-80). There are no pass/fail cut-offs and no clinical diagnosis; the result is read against a comparison group, and a higher reading is an invitation to act, not a label.
Where you stand
How a score becomes a percentile
A raw score only means something against a comparison group. For example, on the 20-80 metric of Version 3, a loneliness total of 36 sits a little below the average for general adult data (where the mean is near 40), placing it around the 35th percentile - less loneliness than roughly two in three adults. Drag the slider to see how a score maps to a percentile; your real result is matched to the population that fits you when you take the test, and a higher reading is a starting point, not a verdict.
The reference data
Benchmarked against the population that fits you
We benchmark your result against the population that actually resembles you, across 20 reference groups.
Each reference group is used as its own benchmark, not to rank one country against another.
How it works
What the questions feel like
Illustrative statements showing the style of the items. These are examples, not the official scored items.
I often feel that I lack the companionship I would like.
Illustrative example in the style of the scale, not an official scored item.
There are people I feel close to and can turn to.
Illustrative reverse-worded example, not an official scored item.
I sometimes feel that no one really knows me well.
Illustrative example, not an official scored item.
When I want company, I can usually find someone to spend time with.
Illustrative reverse-worded example, not an official scored item.
Honest strengths and limitations
Strengths
- The most widely used loneliness measure in the world, with strong reliability and decades of validation, including a 3-item form used in major population surveys.
- Short and easy to take, and framed around a common, changeable feeling rather than a diagnosis.
- A clear single reading that is easy to interpret and to track over time as circumstances change.
Limitations
- It is a single overall reading of how connected you feel, not a profile - it does not tell you which relationships or situations the feeling comes from.
- Like all self-reports it reflects how someone feels in the moment and can be shaped by mood; loneliness can change with circumstances and effort, so a score is a snapshot, not a fixed trait.
- It is not a clinical screener and does not diagnose anything; cross-country mean comparisons are also confounded by response styles, so percentiles are a guide, not a verdict.
See your full profile
A complete report, matched to the population that fits you, with plain-language interpretation of every trait.
Frequently asked questions
What does the loneliness test measure?
It measures subjective loneliness - the gap between the connection you want and the connection you feel you have - with a set of short statements. It is deliberately unidimensional: one overall reading rather than separate subscales.
Does a high score mean something is wrong with me?
No. Loneliness is a common, changeable feeling that almost everyone experiences at times, and the scale does not diagnose anything. A higher reading simply means you are feeling less connected right now - it is a starting point for small steps, not a verdict.
How is the UCLA Loneliness Scale scored?
Each statement is rated for how often it applies. The positively worded items are reverse-keyed so higher always means more loneliness, and the items are summed (Version 3 runs 20-80). There are no clinical cut-offs; the score is read against a comparison group.
How long does it take?
About five minutes for the 20-item version; the validated 3-item short form takes under a minute.
Related tests
- Russell, D. W. (1996). UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3): Reliability, validity, and factor structure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 66(1), 20-40.
- Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004). A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys. Research on Aging, 26(6), 655-672.
The UCLA Loneliness Scale is the work of Daniel Russell and colleagues (Version 3, 1996); this independent informational page describes the instrument.