Loneliness Test (UCLA Scale)

What is the UCLA Loneliness Scale?

The UCLA Loneliness Scale is the most widely used self-report measure of subjective loneliness in the world. It was developed by Daniel Russell and colleagues at UCLA, first published in 1978 and refined to the current Version 3 in 1996. The 20-item scale asks how often a person feels various aspects of social connection and isolation, rated on a four-point scale. It has been cited thousands of times and validated across dozens of countries and languages.

What does my loneliness score mean?

Your total score ranges from 20 to 80. Higher scores reflect greater subjective loneliness. Population norms from community adult samples typically fall between 35 and 49. A score above 43 is generally considered elevated in research and clinical contexts. The result bands shown here (low, moderate, high, very high) are editorial interpretations based on published population data and are not formal cutoffs from the original Russell (1996) paper, which uses the scale as a continuous measure.

What is a normal loneliness score?

In community adult samples, the mean score on the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 is approximately 38 to 43, with a standard deviation of about 9 to 11. Most people score in the moderate range. College students and older adults tend to score somewhat higher than middle-aged community adults. The most commonly cited research threshold is a score above 43, indicating elevated loneliness relative to population norms.

Is loneliness the same as being alone?

No. Loneliness is a subjective experience of inadequate social connection, not the objective state of being alone. Many people who spend significant time alone do not feel lonely, while others surrounded by people can feel profoundly disconnected. The UCLA scale measures subjective perceived loneliness, not social isolation or the quantity of relationships a person has. This distinction is central to loneliness research and was emphasized by Weiss (1973) and by Cacioppo and Patrick (2008) in their influential work on loneliness science.

How accurate is the UCLA Loneliness Scale?

The UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 has very strong psychometric properties. Internal consistency is high (Cronbach's alpha 0.89 to 0.94 across studies) and test-retest reliability over one year is r = 0.73. It has been validated in dozens of countries and languages and is the most widely cited loneliness measure in the research literature. It was designed for general population use, not clinical diagnosis.

What is the difference between emotional and social loneliness?

Emotional loneliness refers to the absence of a close intimate attachment such as a partner, best friend, or confidant. Social loneliness refers to the absence of a broader sense of community or belonging. The UCLA Loneliness Scale does not produce separate subscores for these two types, but many of its items tap one or both dimensions. The distinction was proposed by Robert Weiss (1973) and has shaped much of the subsequent research on loneliness interventions.

How is the test scored?

Each of the 20 items is rated on a four-point scale: Never (1), Rarely (2), Sometimes (3), Often (4). Nine positively worded items (1, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 16, 19, 20) are reverse-scored before summing using the formula 5 minus the raw score, so that Never becomes 4 and Often becomes 1 for those items. The total score ranges from 20 to 80. Higher scores indicate greater loneliness.

• 20 to 34: low loneliness
• 35 to 49: moderate (near population average)
• 50 to 64: high loneliness
• 65 to 80: very high loneliness

Note: the result bands above are editorial interpretations for informational use. The original Russell (1996) paper uses the UCLA scale as a continuous measure and does not define categorical cutoffs.

What changed between versions of the UCLA Loneliness Scale?

Version 1 (1978) used all negatively worded declarative statements, which inflated scores through acquiescence bias. Version 2 (1980) introduced positively worded items to create a balanced scale. Version 3 (1996) restated all 20 items as questions beginning with "How often do you feel..." to standardize the format and improve accessibility for older adults and lower-literacy respondents. Most current research uses Version 3.

Is my data stored anywhere?

No. OmConscious has a strong commitment to user privacy and does not collect any personal data. All scoring happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your answers are never transmitted to any server, stored in a database, or shared with any third party. No account or login is required, and results are available instantly. When you close the tab, your answers are gone.