Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of a Multidimensional Loneliness Scale: Comparisons Across Gender and Age | Zendy

Marlies Maes | Zendy; Theo A. Klimstra | Zendy; Wim Van Den Noortgate | Zendy; Luc Goossens | Zendy

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Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of a Multidimensional Loneliness Scale: Comparisons Across Gender and Age

Author(s) -

Marlies Maes,

Theo A. Klimstra,

Wim Van Den Noortgate,

Luc Goossens

Publication year - 2014

Publication title -

journal of child and family studies

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.879

H-Index - 76

eISSN - 1573-2843

pISSN - 1062-1024

DOI - 10.1007/s10826-014-9986-4

Subject(s) - loneliness , psychology , measurement invariance , confirmatory factor analysis , scale (ratio) , ucla loneliness scale , sample (material) , developmental psychology , structural equation modeling , clinical psychology , social psychology , statistics , mathematics , geography , cartography , chemistry , chromatography

This study focuses on the factor structure of a multidimensional loneliness measure, that is, the Loneliness and Aloneness Scale for Children and Adolescents (LACA). Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on a large sample of children and adolescents (N = 9,676) in Belgium. Results indicated that the supposed four-factor structure of the instrument showed a superior fit when compared to alternative, more parsimonious models. Measurement invariance was established across gender and across all age groups in the intended age range (i.e., elementary school to freshman year in college). Age comparisons indicated that parent-related loneliness and positive attitudes to aloneness increased throughout adolescence. In sum, the present study offers strong support based on strict tests for the factor structure of a particular multidimensional loneliness measure (LACA). Future research should extend such analyses to other multidimensional measures of loneliness. Keywords: Loneliness Aloneness Adolescence Confirmatory factor analysis Measurement invarianc

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