title: Psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Spanish version of the 11-item De Jong Gierveld loneliness scale.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Loneliness has been associated with physical and mental health problems. It has also been considered a serious social problem that increases the use and costs of health services. The most widely used instrument in Europe for measuring loneliness is the de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS). The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the 11-item DJGLS by means of the Rasch model, and its convergent and discriminant validity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were a representative sample of Spanish community-dwelling adults aged 60 and older. We evaluated sociodemographic variables, health, social support, social activity, and subjective well-being measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Person and item fit statistics, and standardized residual principal component analysis revealed that the DJGLS was essentially unidimensional. However, we found DIF across marital status and living arrangements. Moderate to high associations were found between loneliness and depression, self-rated loneliness, positive and negative emotions, and satisfaction with life. The DJGLS differentiated between well known-groups according to gender, marital status, living arrangements, health, structural and functional aspects of social networks, and social activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DJGLS is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring loneliness in Spanish older adults. The addition of a few items in order to improve the measurement range is strongly recommended. Our findings are consistent with previous research indicating that loneliness is an important aspect of mental health and subjective well-being, and support the use of the scale to detect vulnerable population in old age.
authors.affiliation: Fac. de Educación, Universidad de Salamanca, Paseo de Canalejas 169, 37008 Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8526-937X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buz
authors.affiliation: CENTRUM Católica Business School, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Jr. Daniel Alomía Robles 125, Surco, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pérez-Arechaederra
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D005260:Female; D000368:Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D013030:Spain; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D012944:Social Support; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D010549:Personal Satisfaction
keywords: Spain; health services; loneliness; mental health; rasch analysis; subjective well-being