Psychometric analysis of the Malay version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8) and a comparison of loneliness among sojourning and non-sojourning Malaysian students

Abstract

The UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS) is the most widely used scale for the measurement of loneliness, but no version currently exists for use among Malay-speaking populations. The present study reports on the translation and validation of a Malay version of the 8-item ULS (ULS-8) and conducts an initial comparison of loneliness among students. In Study 1, 532 individuals from community samples in Malaysia completed a Malay version of the ULS-8, which showed a unidimensional structure, good internal consistency, excellent test-retest reliability after 60 days and good convergent validity with measures of subjective happiness and shyness. In addition, there were no sex or ethnic differences in loneliness. Study 2 used the ULS-8 to measure the degree of loneliness among sojourning Malaysian students in Britain, who were compared with an age-matched sample of students in Kuala Lumpur. Results showed that the sojourning students were significantly more lonely than their counterparts in Malaysia. The limitations of these studies are also discussed.