Development and validation of the Korea University Social Isolation Scale

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Social isolation is a complex public health issue with behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and functional dimensions.
• It extends beyond reduced social contact, impacting well-being and engagement.
• The Korea University Social Isolation Scale (KUSIS) was developed to address these complexities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the KUSIS, a multidimensional scale for assessing social isolation.
• To identify individuals experiencing high levels of social isolation.
• To capture the diverse experiences associated with social isolation.

Main Methods:

• The KUSIS was validated with 206 young adults in Korea.
• Psychometric properties were evaluated using factor analyses, reliability, and validity tests.
• Convergent and known-groups validity were assessed, alongside receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Main Results:

• Factor analysis supported a nine-item, three-factor structure (Social Avoidance, Sense of Social Dysfunction, Sense of Social Disconnection).
• The KUSIS demonstrated strong internal consistency, reliability, and validity across gender.
• The scale showed high classification accuracy for identifying socially isolated individuals.

Conclusions:

• The KUSIS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing social isolation in Korean young adults.
• Its concise structure and cutoff scores aid in identifying individuals needing support.
• The scale provides guidance for addressing diverse social isolation needs.