The development of a Rasch-type loneliness scale

Abstract

This paper describes an attempt to construct a measuring instrument for loneliness that meets the criteria of a Rasch scale. Rasch (1960, 1966) proposed a latent trait model for the unidimensional scaling of dichotomous items that does not suffer from the inadequacies of classical approaches. The resulting Rasch scale of this study, which is based on data from 1,201 employed, disabled, and jobless adults, consists of five positive and six negative items. The positive items assess feelings of belongingness, whereas the negative items apply to three separate aspects of missing relationships. The techniques for testing the assumptions underlying the Rasch model are compared with their counterparts from classical test theory, and the implications for the methodology of scale construction are discussed.