The validation study of the dimensions of loneliness
Date
1981
Authors
Etter, Roberta Maureen
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Abstract
Various attempts have been made to identify the types of relationships which meet important needs for people and which, if absent, contribute to loneliness. The focus of this study was to examine one specific model which identified five dimensions, or areas of relationships, within which a person may feel loneliness.
The first purpose of the study was to validate Sadler's multidimensional model of loneliness, by documenting the extent to which people described experiences of loneliness related to the five areas of relationships. The second purpose was to examine and describe the differences, if any, in the loneliness experience among the five dimensions. A third purpose was to study the relationship between the number of dimensions contributing to a person's loneliness and the intensity of the experience.
Seven males and seven females between the ages of 25 and 55 were recruited from community education courses at a community college. Subjects completed a Dimension of Loneliness Scale (a questionnaire instrument developed for this study), an Intensity of Loneliness Scale, and participated in a structured dialogue exercise . Descriptions of times of loneliness were also obtained through written accounts and an unstructured interview.
In general, this study found that loneliness was reported in each of the five dimensions and types of relationships identified by Sadler, thus validating his multi-dimensional model. As well, each dimension appeared to involve an experience of loneliness that was distinct from the other four , as indicated by differences in the phrases used to describe the feelings and thoughts experienced. The results also indicate that the intensity of loneliness is related to the number of relationships in which a person feels disconnected or a loss.