Loneliness Assessment

Connection to others is a fundamental human need. Assess your loneliness using this short quiz as a first step to re-establishing social and personal bonds.

Loneliness is a subjective feeling of disconnection or lack of social connection that is distinct from objective social isolation. Chronic loneliness can significantly impact mental health, and is closely linked to many conditions including depression, a decline in cognitive functioning, and poor physical health.[1]

Loneliness can be influenced by various factors such as social isolation, a lack of meaningful connections, or major life changes like relocation or loss. While improvements in communication technology have made us more connected than ever, modern society has also become increasingly individualistic and competitive, and many real-world social structures have been replaced by virtual and online substitutes that do not fully meet our needs for genuine human connection.[2]

A 2018 study found that more than one in five people in the UK and US report “always or often feel lonely, left out, isolated, or that they lack companionship”, with that proportion increasing among those who are disabled, lower income, younger, and/or single.[3] The negative impacts of chronic loneliness have become so pronounced that, following a 2017 report, the UK established a Minister for Loneliness, highlighting its identification as a key public health concern.[4]

The survey presented below is a very short self-assessment that asks questions related to relational connectedness, social connectedness and self-perceived isolation. It does not offer a diagnosis, but may help you to identify if loneliness is causing you distress or reducing your overall wellbeing. After completing the survey, we will provide some further information and pointers on improving social and personal connections.

Disclaimer

This assessment is based on the UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). While these are often used by doctors and mental health professionals to assist with diagnoses and as a part of health assessments, this survey should not be used on its own as a self-diagnosis. The score you receive after completing this survey is an indication of how you are feeling right now, but does not reflect your value or a permanent state of being. Paradoxically, loneliness is something faced by everyone throughout life to varying degrees and in various aspects. Regardless of your stage in life or where you are right now, it is possible to improve your connection to yourself and others, and to build a stronger foundation for mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

References References

  • Donovan, N. J., Wu, Q., Rentz, D. M., Sperling, R. A., Marshall, G. A., & Glymour, M. M. (2016). Loneliness, depression and cognitive function in older U.S. adults. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(5), 564–573. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4495
  • Becker, J. C., Hartwich, L., & Haslam, S. A. (2021). Neoliberalism can reduce well‐being by promoting a sense of social disconnection, competition, and loneliness. British Journal of Social Psychology, 60(3), 947–965. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12438
  • DiJulio, Bianca, Liz Hamel, Cailey Munana, and Mollyann Brodie. 2018. Loneliness and Social Isolation in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan: An International Survey. KFF. https://www. kff.org/report-section/loneliness-and-social-isolation-in-the-united-states-the-united-kingdomand-japan-an-international-survey-introduction/
  • Pimlott N. (2018). The ministry of loneliness. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien, 64(3), 166.