Questionnaire
UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3)
UCLA-LS · R-UCLA Loneliness Scale
20 short items measuring how often you feel disconnected — the most-validated subjective loneliness instrument.
What it measures
Self-reported loneliness across 20 items rated 1 (never) to 4 (often). Captures perceived deficit between desired and actual social relationships. Russell 1996 reported coefficient alpha .89–.94 across populations and test-retest r=.73 over one year.
Mechanism
Why moving this marker matters
Loneliness associates with elevated all-cause mortality in cohort meta-analyses. Holt-Lunstad et al. 2015 meta-analysed 70 studies (n>3.4 million) and reported loneliness as an independent risk factor for mortality with effect size comparable to obesity. Mechanisms include elevated inflammatory markers, dysregulated HPA-axis, reduced sleep quality, and behavioural — less social pressure to maintain health behaviours.
Guideline targets
What major guidelines recommend
Russell 1996 (research norms, college students)
Mean ~40; SD ~10
Common research cut-off (high loneliness)
>50
How to measure
The test, where to get it, when to repeat
Method
Self-administered, ~5 minutes. 20 statements; rate each from 1 (never) to 4 (often). 11 items scored as written, 9 reverse-scored.
Where
Public domain via Russell 1996. Three-item short form (Hughes et al. 2004) is widely used in research and clinical screening when the full 20 items isn't feasible.
Typical cost
Free.
Fasting
Not required
When to test
Common research / clinical practice
Useful as a baseline and periodic re-measure during major life transitions (retirement, bereavement, relocation).
Where to score
Completing this questionnaire
Self-administered — your GP or mental-health professional can confirm scoring and discuss results.
The instrument
Items shown for reference
Validated questionnaires are shown here as reference. Read each item and count your own answers — Healicus does not compute or store a score. This keeps the page on the educational side of the EU MDR line; the instrument itself remains the validated tool.
- 1
How often do you feel that you are 'in tune' with the people around you? (reverse-scored)
1 (never) — 4 (often), reversed
- 2
How often do you feel that you lack companionship?
1 — 4
- 3
How often do you feel that there is no one you can turn to?
1 — 4
- 4
How often do you feel alone?
1 — 4
- 5
How often do you feel part of a group of friends? (reverse-scored)
1 — 4, reversed
- 6
How often do you feel that you have a lot in common with the people around you? (reverse-scored)
1 — 4, reversed
- 7
How often do you feel that you are no longer close to anyone?
1 — 4
- 8
How often do you feel that your interests and ideas are not shared by those around you?
1 — 4
- 9
How often do you feel outgoing and friendly? (reverse-scored)
1 — 4, reversed
- 10
How often do you feel close to people? (reverse-scored)
1 — 4, reversed
- 11
How often do you feel left out?
1 — 4
- 12
How often do you feel that your relationships with others are not meaningful?
1 — 4
- 13
How often do you feel that no one really knows you well?
1 — 4
- 14
How often do you feel isolated from others?
1 — 4
- 15
How often do you feel you can find companionship when you want it? (reverse-scored)
1 — 4, reversed
- 16
How often do you feel that there are people who really understand you? (reverse-scored)
1 — 4, reversed
- 17
How often do you feel shy?
1 — 4
- 18
How often do you feel that people are around you but not with you?
1 — 4
- 19
How often do you feel that there are people you can talk to? (reverse-scored)
1 — 4, reversed
- 20
How often do you feel that there are people you can turn to? (reverse-scored)
1 — 4, reversed
Scoring (do this yourself)
Reverse the 9 marked items (1→4, 2→3, 3→2, 4→1). Sum all 20 items for the total score (range 20–80). Higher score = greater loneliness. Russell 1996 reported population means around 40 in college students with moderate variability; clinical cut-offs are not consensus, but scores >50 are commonly used as 'high loneliness' in research. This is a screening / longitudinal instrument; treat results as a starting point for reflection or conversation, not a clinical diagnosis.
Context
Reading the numbers
Loneliness scores vary substantially by age, life stage, culture, and recent events. A single high score isn't pathological — sustained high scores over months across life transitions are the meaningful pattern.
Caveats
Loneliness ≠ being alone. Solitude can be welcome; loneliness is the perceived deficit. The instrument captures the perception, not objective social network size.
Practices
What's been shown to influence this marker
Shared meals (3+/week)
Habit·Eating with others — across Blue Zones, the most consistent social longevity ritual.
Why
Across the world's longest-lived communities, sharing food with people you care about is a near-universal pattern. The mechanisms are likely multiple: slower eating, social connection, anti-loneliness, and cultural cohesion. Solo meals at a screen are a recent phenomenon and don't show the same correlation with healthspan.
Slot in your day
How to do it
How
Aim for 3+ meals per week shared with friends or family — phones away. Doesn't need to be elaborate; the act and attention matter more than the food.
Markers this may influence
Evidence
Weekly long-form call
Habit·One 30+ minute conversation per week with someone you trust. Texts don't substitute.
Why
Loneliness and weak social ties show up in mortality data with effect sizes comparable to smoking. Quality matters more than quantity — five close relationships predict more healthspan than fifty acquaintances. Long-form spoken conversation (in person or by call) carries more signal than text or social media.
Slot in your day
How to do it
How
Schedule one 30–60 minute call per week with someone whose company restores you. Block it like a meeting. Voice or video over text.
Sticking with it
Block it like a meeting. A standing weekly slot survives a busy week; an open invitation doesn't.
Markers this may influence
Evidence
Belong to a third place
Habit·Regular attendance somewhere that isn't home or work — a gym, choir, club, congregation, hobby group.
Why
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg's 'third places' (cafés, clubs, congregations, gyms with regulars) are spaces of weak-tie social density that buffer against loneliness and provide identity beyond home and work roles. Long-life cultures across geography share this — Sardinia's piazzas, Okinawa's moais, Loma Linda's congregations.
Slot in your day
How to do it
How
Find one place you'd attend weekly without obligation. Regularity over ambition; one weekly group beats ten one-time visits.
Markers this may influence
Evidence
Regular volunteering
Habit·2+ hours/month of volunteer work correlates with reduced mortality risk in older adults.
Why
Cohort studies of volunteering in older adults consistently show mortality risk reductions, partly mediated by purpose, partly by social engagement. Effects appear at modest doses (~2 hours per month) and plateau above 100 hours/year.
Slot in your day
How to do it
How
Pick a cause you care about. Commit to a recurring slot. Solo donating doesn't show the same effect — physical presence and social engagement are the active ingredients.
Markers this may influence
Evidence
Group singing / choir
Habit·Br J Psychiatry RCT: community singing improves mental health-related quality of life in older adults.
Why
Coulton et al. 2015 BJP randomised 258 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 to weekly community singing groups vs. usual activity. The singing arm showed significantly better mental-health-related quality of life and lower anxiety/depression scores at 6 months. Effect persists with continued attendance. Mechanisms include synchronised breathing, vagal-tone effects of vocalisation, and the social-tie component shared with other group activities.
How to do it
How
Find a local community choir, church choir, or amateur singing group. Weekly attendance. No prior musical training required — most groups welcome beginners.
Ideal for
Older adults; anyone seeking a low-cost, low-bar group practice with both social and physiological components.
Markers this may influence
Evidence
See also
Related markers
Take to your physician
Worth discussing
- If scores are persistently high and accompanied by mood symptoms, whether comorbid depression or anxiety needs evaluation.
- Whether social-prescribing options (community groups, volunteering, structured activities) are available in your area.
- If recent bereavement, relocation, or retirement is driving the change, whether targeted support is appropriate.
Sources
Cited literature
- [1]Russell DW, UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3): reliability, validity, and factor structure (J Pers Assess)(1996)
- [2]Holt-Lunstad et al., Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review (Perspect Psychol Sci)(2015)
- [3]Hughes et al., A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: results from two population-based studies(2004)
Edited by Carl Pöhl, MD · Healicus editorial
Last reviewed May 2026
Keep reading