Validade e confiabilidade da Escala de Solidão da UCLA versão 3 entre idosos brasileiros

Abstract

Objective: to assess the validity and reliability of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, version 3, in a sample of aged Brazilians. Methods: a methodological study carried out with 136 older adults registered in family health units. Construct validity was verified by exploratory factor analysis and correlation with depression and social support measures. Reliability was assessed by means of Cronbach’s alpha. Results: in the exploratory factor analysis, a component was extracted, whose variance explained 43.6% of the instrument’s composition. All items had a satisfactory factor load (≥ 0.30) distributed between 0.43 and 0.76. Construct validity was also supported by the positive correlation between loneliness and depression (r = 0.665; p≤0.001) and a negative correlation between loneliness and social support (r = -0.576; p≤0.001). It was also supported by the positive correlation between loneliness and depression (r = 0.665; p≤0.001) and a negative correlation between loneliness and social support (r = -0.576; p≤0.001). Cronbach’s alpha for the sample was 0.88. Conclusion and implications for the practice: the UCLA Loneliness Scale version 3, presents evidence of satisfactory validity and reliability, and can be used to assess loneliness among aged Brazilians.