In developing this scale, we began by reviewing the existing research literature. A range of loneliness scales were developed between the 1960s and 1980s, and two broad approaches can be identified. The first treats loneliness as a single-dimensional construct; the second treats it as multidimensional. For example, Moroi (1991) [1] examined the dimensionality of loneliness during scale development and confirmed that it functions as a unidimensional construct. Asher (1984) [2] developed a loneliness scale and extracted two factors: "loneliness" and "social dissatisfaction." Ochiai (1974) [3] conceptualized loneliness across two dimensions: "individuality" and "empathy." These prior studies informed the development of this scale.

Following further review, a key gap emerged in the existing literature: no existing scale incorporates the role of environmental factors. For example, some people feel lonely even when surrounded by multiple relationships, while others do not. Equally, some people feel no loneliness even when their social connections are sparse. From a practical standpoint, we therefore chose to develop this scale as a tool that captures loneliness in relation to the environment as well as the individual experience of it.

It was decided to develop 10 questions measuring "loneliness" and 10 questions measuring "social environment." For each set of items, a team of certified psychologists, clinical psychologists, and graduates of psychology master's programs conducted brainstorming sessions drawing on prior research. The ideas generated were then grouped using the KJ method, reviewed, and refined into the final question items. The groupings are as follows.

• Loneliness
• • Feeling of loneliness
• 1. I feel lonely and alone.
• 2. I feel a longing for closeness and human connection.
• • Lack of intimacy
• 3. I lack someone I can talk to casually.
• 4. I feel misunderstood by those around me.
• • Fear of abandonment
• 5. The closer I become to someone, the more I worry about losing them.
• 6. I have a fear of being abandoned by others.
• • Social isolation
• 7. I feel like I have no place in society.
• 8. I feel like the world is moving on without me.
• • Anxiety about the future
• 9. I am afraid of ending up alone in the future.
• 10. I feel that if things continue as they are, I will live a lonely life.



• Social Environment
• • Home environment
• 11. I have daily conversations with my family.
• 12. My family gathers together regularly for events or occasions.
• • Friendships
• 13. I tend to spend my days off with friends.
• 14. I meet up with friends on a regular basis.
• • Workplace
• 15. My workplace is one where conversation happens naturally.
• 16. I can talk to my manager or colleagues about concerns or worries.
• • Community
• 17. I interact with others through hobbies or volunteer activities.
• 18. I belong to a community where I know people by sight.
• • Online connections
• 19. I have casual exchanges with others on social media.
• 20. I sometimes reach out online when I have something on my mind.

● Number of Questions

Loneliness & Social Environment × 10 questions each

● 3-Point Scale

Agree = 2 points, Neutral = 1 point, Disagree = 0 points

● High / Medium / Low Thresholds

14 or above　　Strong sense of loneliness

8 to 13　　　　Moderate sense of loneliness

7 or below　　 Little to no sense of loneliness

13 or above　　Social Environment — Rich

7 to 12　　　　Social Environment — Moderate

6 or below　　 Social Environment — Limited

This scale identifies the following 9 personality types. The type names were determined through group discussion.

Strong Loneliness / Rich Environment　　　Abandonment

Strong Loneliness / Moderate Environment　Anxious

Strong Loneliness / Limited Environment　　Longing

Moderate Loneliness / Rich Environment　　　Guarded

Moderate Loneliness / Moderate Environment　Needy

Moderate Loneliness / Limited Environment　　Lonely

Low Loneliness / Rich Environment　　　Socializer

Low Loneliness / Moderate Environment　Adventurer

Low Loneliness / Limited Environment　　Solitary

For each personality type, we provided an evaluation of approximately 1,000 characters covering key characteristics and points to be aware of. The content was developed based on prior research and the clinical experience of the authors.

This assessment has not been subjected to factor analysis or checks for reliability and validity. It reflects the professional judgment of specialists, but please note that it lacks sufficient statistical grounding and is not intended for use in academic research.

[1] Moroi, K. (1991). Examination of the dimensionality of the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Humanities: Journal of the Faculty of Humanities, Shizuoka University.

[2] Asher, S. R., Hymel, S., & Renshaw, P. D. (1984). Loneliness in children. Child Development, 55, 1456–1464.

[3] Ochiai, Y. (1983). Development of the Loneliness Type Classification Scale (LSO). Japanese Journal of Educational Psychology.

* Additional References

Aikawa, A., & Fujita, M. (2005). Construction of a self-rating scale of social skills for adults. Bulletin of Tokyo Gakugei University, Section 1: Educational Science, 56, 87–93.

Masuda, Y., Tadaka, E., & Dai, Y. (2012). Development and examination of the reliability and validity of a Japanese version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale for older adults. Journal of Japan Academy of Community Health Nursing.

Hirozawa, T., & Tanaka, K. (1984). Construction of a loneliness scale for different types of relationships. Bulletin of the Faculty of Sociology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 49.