The Three-Item Loneliness Scale asks how often you feel three things: that you lack companionship, that you are left out, and that you are isolated from others. It is a short research questionnaire, not a diagnosis. The questions are about how you feel about different aspects of your life. For each one, choose how often you feel that way.
- One question per screen. Tap an answer to move on (or use the number keys on a keyboard).
- Your score, what it means, and the next step, straight away.
- Your answers stay on your device. Nothing is saved or sent.
This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call your local emergency number now. Helplines are listed below the test.
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How this test is scored
Each of the 3 questions is scored 1 (Hardly ever), 2 (Some of the time) or 3 (Often), and the score is the sum, from 3 to 9. Higher means feeling lonely more often. The scale has no official clinical cut-off. Some large studies group scores of 6 to 9 as "more lonely" and 3 to 5 as "less lonely"; we use that grouping only to describe your score.
About the Three-Item Loneliness Scale
The Three-Item Loneliness Scale was developed by Mary Elizabeth Hughes and colleagues at the University of Chicago and published in 2004. They took three questions from the 20-item Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and simplified the answers so the scale could be used in large surveys. In their two studies it matched the full scale closely, and it is now used in large studies of health and ageing around the world.
Loneliness is not a mental health condition. It is the painful feeling that your relationships are not giving you the closeness or company you need. You can feel lonely in a crowded house or a busy office, and you can live alone without feeling lonely at all.
How to read your score
Your score runs from 3 to 9. A higher score means you feel lonely more often. There is no official cut-off, so your result describes how often you feel this way. It does not label you or diagnose anything. If loneliness has lasted a long time, or it comes with low mood, poor sleep or losing interest in things, it is worth taking seriously.
When to talk to someone
Long-lasting loneliness is linked with low mood and anxiety. If you also feel hopeless, or you have stopped enjoying things you used to enjoy, a professional can help you work out what is going on. You can read more in why you can feel lonely even when surrounded by family and the depression symptoms men often hide.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the UCLA Loneliness Scale?
No. It is a short version built from three questions of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, with simpler answers. The full scale has 20 questions.
Can loneliness affect my health?
Research links long-lasting loneliness with depression, poor sleep and physical health problems. Feeling lonely for a short time, for example after a move, is common and often passes.
Does a high score mean I have depression?
No. Loneliness and depression often go together, but they are different. If you are worried about your mood, try the depression test (PHQ-9) or speak to a professional.
Are my answers saved?
No. Your answers are scored in your browser and disappear when you leave the page. Nothing is stored or sent.
Sources
Hughes ME, Waite LJ, Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT. A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: results from two population-based studies. Research on Aging. 2004;26(6):655-672. Items and answer options from Table 1 (Three-Item Loneliness Scale); score = sum of the three items, 3 to 9. Listed as "Not a copyrighted scale" by the Carnegie Mellon University Laboratory for the Study of Stress, Immunity, and Disease. The 3-5 and 6-9 grouping is a research convention (Steptoe A, et al. PNAS 2013;110(15):5797-5801), not a clinical threshold.
- Hughes et al. (2004). A short scale for measuring loneliness. Research on Aging 26(6):655-672
- Steptoe et al. (2013). PNAS 110(15):5797-5801
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