Persian Version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale; a Validation Study in Iranian Children and Adolescence

Abstract

Background/objectivesLoneliness, characterized by the absence of meaningful social and personal connections, is recognized as a significant adverse health condition. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the 8-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (P-ULS-8) among Iranian children and adolescents.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 among 100 school-aged students in Isfahan, Iran. Standard forward-backward translation procedures were used, and content validity indices were calculated. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Convergent validity was evaluated via Spearman's correlation between the 20-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-20) and P-ULS-8. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to approve construct validity.ResultsCronbach alpha and ICC for the overall scale were 79.0 and 0.86, respectively. Scale content validity indices for relevancy, clarity, and comprehensiveness were 95, 90, and 80, respectively. A significant correlation was found between P-ULS-8 and ULS-20 (r Pearson = 0.74, p < .001), suggesting satisfactory convergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis approved a two-factor structure for the Persian version of ULS-8.ConclusionsP-ULS-8 demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity indices. Considering its brevity, the Persian version of ULS-8 can be easily used in large-scale studies. AIMS AND PURPOSE: Feeling lonely can affect children's emotional well-being, mental health, and social development. To understand loneliness and its effects, researchers need simple and reliable tools that children can easily complete. However, there has been no brief, well-tested Persian questionnaire for measuring loneliness in Iranian children and adolescents. BACKGROUND: This study examined whether a short 8-question loneliness survey, originally developed in English, works well in Persian. We translated the questionnaire into Persian and tested it in 100 school-aged children and adolescents in Isfahan, Iran. Methods and research design: We looked at whether the questions were clear, understandable, and relevant for children. We also examined whether the questionnaire gave consistent results over time and whether it measured loneliness in a way that matched a longer, established loneliness questionnaire. RESULTS: The results showed that the Persian 8-item loneliness scale is clear, reliable, and valid for use in children and adolescents. Children's answers were consistent, and scores on the short questionnaire closely matched scores on the longer version. The study also showed that the questionnaire captures two related aspects of loneliness, helping provide a fuller picture of children's social and emotional experiences. IMPORTANCE: This matters because loneliness in childhood is an important public health concern that can affect emotional and psychological health both now and later in life. A short and easy-to-use Persian loneliness questionnaire can help researchers, schools, and health professionals identify loneliness more efficiently in large groups of children and adolescents. This may support earlier recognition of social and emotional difficulties and help guide future research and interventions aimed at improving child well-being.