Reliability of the UCLA Loneliness Scale in opiate dependent individuals

The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the self-report University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale (UCLA LS; Russell, 1996) in methadone maintenance patients at an urban university hospital. A diverse sample of 117 patient volunteers completed a standardized interview that included the UCLA LS. A total of 67 participants returned after a minimum of 14 days for a follow-up session to complete an identical assessment but with a different researcher. We examined internal consistency and test-retest reliability in the total sample and in groups stratified by gender, race, ethnicity, and education. Across strata, the UCLA LS showed adequate to high internal consistency and good to excellent test-retest reliability. The UCLA LS was highly correlated with a measure of perceived belonging, supporting criterion validity. Findings support the use of the UCLA LS with methadone maintenance patients.