ArticleThe journal of nutrition, health & aging2022
Validation of the ALONE Scale: A Clinical Measure of Loneliness.
Article in The journal of nutrition, health & aging, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Sensor-Based Technologies for the Detection of Unwanted Loneliness in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Pooled it
- Loneliness in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Multidimensional Determinant of Clinical Outcomes and Disease Management.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- The association between perceived discrimination and Chinese adolescent loneliness: the roles of school bullying, suicide self-injury ideation, and teacher-student relationship.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Toward a transdiagnostic modifier for clinically significant loneliness in psychiatry: a conceptual mini review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Review
- Prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among individuals with mild cognitive impairment or dementia: systematic review and meta-analysis.BJPsych open · 2025Review
- Instruments for Assessing Loneliness in Older People in Portugal: A Scoping Review: Instrumentos de avaliação da solidão em adultos mais velhos em Portugal: uma scoping review.Portuguese journal of public health · 2023Article
- Sense of loneliness of veterans in Southern Iran: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Editorial: Screening - An Important Starting Point for Effective Loneliness Interventions among Older Adults.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThis study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of a rapid, clinically administrable loneliness screening tool for older adults called the ALONE scale.
designThis was a cross-sectional study.
settingParticipants were recruited from either ambulatory clinics or a nursing home.
participantsParticipants were 65 years of age or older and had SLUMS scores of 14 or greater. MEASUREMENTS: Construct validity of the 5-item ALONE scale was examined through correlation with the previously validated UCLA-20 Loneliness Questionnaire. Divergent validity for discriminating between loneliness and depression was examined through correlation with the PHQ-8 items. Test-retest reliability was assessed by correlation between baseline ALONE scores and those from re-administration in 2-3 weeks.
resultsAmong ambulatory clinic participants (n=199), the ALONE scale showed strong correlation with the UCLA-20 (r=0.81, p < 0.001). Similar correlation coefficients were seen among demographic subgroups: White Americans (n=123) (r=0.81, p < 0.001), Black Americans (n=66) (r=0.79, p < 0.001), adults ≥ 75 years (n=74) (r=0.86, p < 0.001). Among nursing home patients (n=22), the ALONE scale showed fair correlation with the UCLA-20 (r=0.74, p < 0.001). Test-retest of the ALONE scale showed a strong correlation (r=0.89, p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis determined ALONE scale scores of 8 and greater as optimal for severe loneliness screening.
conclusionThis study shows that the ALONE scale has strong validity in assessing older adults for severe loneliness. The brief, comprehensible nature of the ALONE scale reduces adoption burden making it optimal for use in clinical settings.
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