Validation of the Spanish version of the Three-Item Loneliness Scale ( Validación de la versión española de la Escala de Soledad de Tres Ítems )

Abstract

The Three-Item Loneliness Scale (TIL Scale) is a widely used brief instrument for the assessment of loneliness. The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the TIL Scale with data from two different studies. In Study 1, 1,536 adults between 18 and 88 years old completed a survey during the lockdown period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Study 2, 314 older adults between 60 and 92 years old were assessed prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant factor loadings were obtained through confirmatory factor analyses for both samples. Acceptable internal consistency was found for the scale in both samples. Positive associations between the TIL Scale and a single item measuring loneliness and depressive and anxious symptomatology were found. The findings provide support for the use of the TIL Scale with Spanish-speaking populations.