Meier Zdenek, Novak Lukas, Helvich Jakub, Licka Patrik, Tavel Peter
Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacký University Olomouc, Univerzitni 244/22, Olomouc, 771 11, Czech Republic.
Department of Community and Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
BMC Psychol. 2025 Jan 8;13(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s40359-024-02204-8.
There is a growing importance of loneliness measurement through valid and reliable instruments. However, to establish valid and reliable measures, there is a need to explore their psychometric properties in different research settings and language environments. For this reason, this study aimed to validate the Three Item Loneliness Scale (TILS) in the Czech Republic within a Slavonic language environment.
A sample of Czech adults (n = 3236) was used consisting primarily of university students. We utilized Classical Test Theory to assess TILS internal consistency, temporal stability, and factor structure. Item Response Theory (IRT) was used to estimate Differential Item Functioning (DIF), the discrimination and difficulty of the TILS items and to estimate the measurement precision of the whole scale. Construct validity was explored through the Spearman correlation coefficient using personality traits, depression, and anxiety.
The results showed satisfactory reliability and validity of the TILS in the Czech Republic. The scale's internal consistency and temporal stability were found to be satisfactory (Cronbach's α = 0.81, McDonald's ω = 0.82, ICC = 0.71). The parallel analysis supported the unidimensionality of the TILS. The IRT results indicated that the highest measurement precision was reached in individuals with lower and above-average levels of loneliness. Significant correlations between the TILS scores, anxiety, depression, and personality traits supported the construct validity of the scale. Although the DIF analysis identified statistically significant differences in responses to items TILS_2 and TILS_3 based on education level and employment status (with no significant differences observed for TILS_1), the effect sizes of these differences were small. This indicates that, despite statistical significance, the practical impact on the scale's validity across these groups is minimal.
The validated TILS provides a reliable and valid tool for assessing loneliness in the Czech Republic. Its brevity makes it a practical option for researchers and clinicians seeking to measure loneliness time-efficiently. Future studies should explore how adding new items could increase the measurement precision of the TILS.
通过有效且可靠的工具来测量孤独感变得越来越重要。然而，为了建立有效且可靠的测量方法，有必要在不同的研究环境和语言环境中探索其心理测量特性。因此，本研究旨在在捷克共和国的斯拉夫语环境中验证三项孤独量表（TILS）。
使用了一个主要由大学生组成的捷克成年人样本（n = 3236）。我们利用经典测验理论来评估TILS的内部一致性、时间稳定性和因子结构。项目反应理论（IRT）用于估计差异项目功能（DIF）、TILS项目的区分度和难度，并估计整个量表的测量精度。通过使用人格特质、抑郁和焦虑的斯皮尔曼相关系数来探索结构效度。
结果表明TILS在捷克共和国具有令人满意的信度和效度。该量表的内部一致性和时间稳定性令人满意（克朗巴哈α系数 = 0.81，麦克唐纳ω系数 = 0.82，组内相关系数 = 0.71）。平行分析支持了TILS的单维度性。IRT结果表明，孤独感水平较低和高于平均水平的个体达到了最高的测量精度。TILS得分与焦虑、抑郁和人格特质之间的显著相关性支持了该量表的结构效度。尽管DIF分析确定了基于教育水平和就业状况对项目TILS_2和TILS_3的回答存在统计学上的显著差异（TILS_1未观察到显著差异），但这些差异的效应大小很小。这表明，尽管具有统计学意义，但对这些群体中量表效度的实际影响最小。
经过验证的TILS为评估捷克共和国的孤独感提供了一个可靠且有效的工具。它的简洁性使其成为寻求高效测量孤独感的研究人员和临床医生的实用选择。未来的研究应该探索添加新项目如何能够提高TILS的测量精度。
