Skip to main content

Currently Skimming:

6 Assessment of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Research
Pages 107-122

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 107...
... When examining social isolation and loneliness in research, a number of tools capture elements of both social isolation and loneliness, which may obscure differences between these two concepts. In addition, in both research and clinical settings social isolation and loneliness may fluctuate over time.
From page 108...
... , while classically thought to measure social isolation, does include some subjective questions. Therefore, if a study uses the Duke Social Support Index and says it measures social isolation and not loneliness, the study may incorrectly conclude that it is only social isolation that has an effect or is being
From page 109...
... The differences in measurement and how studies report outcomes as being either related to loneliness or social isolation may present challenges when comparing studies and even in meta-analyses if the studies are grouped according to how authors define social isolation and loneliness rather than according to the measurement tools used. Some of this variability in measurement likely accounts for the range of prevalence rates and inconsistencies in study conclusions.
From page 110...
... The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale The Revised UCLA (R-UCLA) Loneliness Scale is a 20-item, self-administered questionnaire that has become a standard measurement of subjective loneliness (Russell, 1996)
From page 111...
... Duke Social Support Index The Duke Social Support Index is a 35-item measure of various dimensions of social support, including social network (e.g., proximity of family)
From page 112...
... and a three-item social loneliness subscale (aimed at loneliness due to the lack of a broader social network) (de Jong Gierveld and Van Tilburg, 2006)
From page 113...
... de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scales Original Original Short Short Emotional Social Emotional Social Statement Subscale Subscale Subscale Subscale   1.  There is always someone I can X talk to about my day-to-day problemsa   2.  miss having a really close I X friend   3.  experience a general sense of I X X emptiness   4.  There are plenty of people I can X X rely on when I have problemsa   5.  miss the pleasure of the I X company of others   6.  find my circle of friends and I X acquaintances too limited   7.  There are many people I can X X trust completelya   8.  There are enough people I X X feel close toa   9.  miss having people around I X X 10.  often feel rejected I X X 11.  can call on my friends whenever I X I need thema a Item should be reversed before scoring. SOURCE: de Jong Gierveld and Van Tilburg, 2006.
From page 114...
... Given the confusion surrounding the definitions of social isolation and loneliness, using a validated tool for the specific construct being evaluated is of the utmost importance. Employing an unvalidated tool or, as mentioned previously, a tool that was designed to assess social isolation for a study that is actually examining loneliness, may yield inaccurate results.
From page 115...
... Overall Measure Quality As is discussed in more detail in Chapter 7, concerns exist regarding the quality and relevance of current tools, and particularly as to whether the tools developed decades ago can fully capture the expectations and values of older adults today. This is likely to be especially relevant for measures of social isolation as modes of interaction have changed significantly in recent years and decades.
From page 116...
... . The section on predictive analytics in Chapter 7 describes opportunities for health care systems to develop predictive strategies based on the vast datasets within health information systems.
From page 117...
... Population-Level Identification and Targeting In general, technologies that analyze large public and private datasets are being used both in and out of clinical settings to identify target groups of individuals according to behavioral characteristics, which has raised various ethical and social concerns (Eubanks, 2018; Zuboff, 2019)
From page 118...
... The ethical considerations described here pertain not only to research studies examining social isolation and loneliness but also to clinical practice and the implementation of interventions or strategies by health care organizations. This list is not comprehensive, and serious thought should be given to other potential ethical concerns that may arise due to the nature of a specific assessment tool or monitoring program.
From page 119...
... , gives individuals rights over their own protected health information and sets rules and limits on who can access and share or receive that information when it is documented in electronic format. Health care staff are required to comply with such regulations when sharing any information in the health record, including any assessment information on social isolation and loneliness.
From page 120...
... Beneficence requires that medical procedures be provided with the intent of doing good for the patient and serving in the patient's best interest, and it demands that health care providers continuously maintain their own skills and knowledge in order to provide the best treatment for their patients. Nonmaleficence refers to making sure that medical procedures and treatments do not harm patients nor others in society (Beauchamp and Childress, 2013)
From page 121...
... • The use of standardized and validated measurement tools will help build a more robust evidence base in which results are comparable to other studies. • Measures developed decades ago may not appropriately account for newer modes of interaction and communication (e.g., social media, instant messaging, video conferencing)


This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More information on Chapter Skim is available.