Escala de Soledad De Jong Gierveld: Validez, Confiabilidad y Equidad en Adultos Peruanos

Introduction: Loneliness, whether transient or long-lasting, is one of the mental health issues with significant public impact and distinctive characteristics. However, it has not been adequately addressed, in part due to the lack of specialized instruments for certain populations. Although the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS), based on Weiss’s multidimensional model, has been adapted to different contexts, its use in Peru remains limited. Objective: To establish the psychometric properties of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS) in Peruvian adults, evaluating its internal structure, reliability, and validity in this population Methods: An online survey of 1248 Peruvians (ages 18-70, M= 27.4, SD= 11.3) from almost all regions. This instrument was analysed for its internal structure validity, validity in relation to another variable, measurement invariance and internal consistency reliability. Results: Values were obtained that support the validity of the internal structure, confirming the interrelation of the scale components and the factorability of the data matrix. Here we present a model of one general factor and two specific factors, which is coherent with theory and has execution in the required context, evidencing acceptable reliability values and invariance between sexes. Conclusions: Adequate psychometric properties, which allow for a better data collection process in further related research, are revealed.