In the ever-evolving landscape of psychological assessment, the imperative to develop accurate and culturally sensitive tools remains at the forefront of mental health research. A recent validation study by Gizdic and Kopilaš pushes this frontier further by rigorously evaluating the Croatian adaptation of the Three-Item Loneliness Scale (TILS) and exploring its intricate relationship with social network indices. Published in BMC Psychology, this 2025 study provides groundbreaking insights into the nuanced measurement of loneliness within the Croatian population, offering a refined instrument with profound implications for both clinical practice and social science.
Loneliness, a subjective and distressing experience characterized by the perceived absence or inadequacy of social connections, has been widely linked to numerous negative health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, cardiovascular diseases, and impaired immune functioning. The global rise in awareness of loneliness as a critical public health issue underscores the necessity for valid measures that can reliably capture this complex phenomenon across diverse cultural contexts. Traditional instruments, often lengthy and not easily adaptable, pose challenges for large-scale epidemiological surveys and rapid screenings. Against this backdrop, the Three-Item Loneliness Scale, developed originally in English, emerges as a concise yet robust tool, renowned for its brevity and validity in capturing the essence of loneliness.
Gizdic and Kopilaš embarked on an ambitious journey to validate the Croatian version of this scale, recognizing that linguistic and cultural translation is more than a mere exercise in language replacement; it requires meticulous psychometric evaluation to ensure conceptual and metric equivalence. Their methodological approach involved the translation and back-translation of the original items, followed by testing the scale on a representative sample drawn from various Croatian regions to ensure demographic and socioeconomic diversity. Advanced statistical techniques, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), were employed to determine whether the uni-dimensionality of the scale held true in this new context.
Their analyses affirmed that the Croatian version preserved the inherent structure of the TILS, reinforcing its brevity without compromising psychometric robustness. Reliability indices such as Cronbach’s alpha indicated high internal consistency, while test-retest analyses over multiple weeks showcased excellent temporal stability. Importantly, convergent validity was established by correlating TILS scores with established measures of social isolation and emotional well-being, cementing the scale’s practical utility.
Beyond validation, the study ventured into assessing the intricate associations between loneliness scores and social network indices among participants. Utilizing sophisticated network analytics, the researchers quantified various dimensions of social connectedness, such as size, diversity, and frequency of interactions. This dual focus illuminated a nuanced landscape where loneliness did not simply equate to social isolation; rather, it reflected subjective quality of social ties and perceived emotional support. Notably, the study revealed that individuals with smaller, less diverse social networks but frequent contact did not necessarily report the highest loneliness scores, underscoring the complex interplay between structural and subjective dimensions of social life.
These findings dovetail with contemporary theories positing that loneliness is fundamentally a signal of perceived social deficits rather than merely an objective count of social contacts. The implications are sweeping—interventions aiming to alleviate loneliness must prioritize enhancing emotional closeness and relational satisfaction over merely expanding social networks. This paradigm shift realigns public health strategies to focus on meaningful social engagement rooted in quality rather than quantity.
Additionally, Gizdic and Kopilaš’s work situates itself within a rapidly globalizing research environment where culturally sensitive instruments empower local stakeholders to document and address mental health concerns effectively. Croatia, like many post-socialist nations undergoing rapid social transformation, faces unique challenges related to urbanization, migration, and shifting family structures, all of which potentially influence feelings of loneliness. The validated TILS thus becomes a vital epidemiological tool to monitor trends and inform policy that resonates with the lived experiences of Croatians.
The technical sophistication of this research also stands out due to the integration of psychometrics with social network theory, an interdisciplinary approach that harnesses quantitative rigor and psychosocial insight. Their deployment of complex survey sampling and weighted adjustments ensured the sample’s representativeness, addressing common pitfalls in psychological scale validations. By anchoring the analysis within both statistical frameworks and social context, the study exemplifies best practices in contemporary psychometric research.
Moreover, the open-access nature of the publication in BMC Psychology invites global scrutiny and replication, facilitating cross-national comparisons that are critical to understanding loneliness worldwide. Replication studies in other cultural milieus could benefit from this Croatian model, adapting and validating the TILS for local nuances. Such transnational research efforts are key to constructing a universal yet culturally malleable understanding of loneliness, ultimately guiding targeted interventions at multiple levels—from individual therapy to community programming.
Importantly, in an era marked by increasing digital communication, the study’s findings about social network indices assume new significance. The blurring lines between virtual and physical social interactions pose fresh questions about how loneliness should be conceptualized and measured. While the TILS remains a brief and effective instrument for traditional social connections, future research inspired by this work might integrate digital social network metrics, exploring whether online engagement can ameliorate or exacerbate loneliness. Gizdic and Kopilaš’s methodology serves as a blueprint for such investigations, given its rigorous validation protocols and analytical depth.
From a clinical perspective, the availability of a validated Croatian TILS provides mental health professionals with a rapid yet reliable screening tool capable of identifying individuals at risk for loneliness-related health detriments. Incorporating this scale into routine assessments can facilitate timely referrals and the tailoring of psychosocial interventions. Furthermore, public health campaigns might leverage TILS-based data to map loneliness prevalence and target high-risk demographics effectively.
The study’s nuanced findings about the relationship between loneliness and social network characteristics also challenge simplistic policymaking. It cautions against blanket initiatives aimed solely at increasing social contact frequency or network size, advocating instead for fostering meaningful, trust-based relationships. This insight has implications for community design, social services, and digital platform governance alike, highlighting the multi-dimensional nature of social support as a determinant of health.
Critically, this research exemplifies how concise instruments like the TILS can be successfully adapted for varied populations without sacrificing psychometric integrity, potentially revolutionizing loneliness assessment on a global scale. The Croatian validation adds to a growing compendium of evidence affirming that brief, well-constructed scales can capture deeply subjective states such as loneliness, provided rigorous validation protocols are followed.
In conclusion, Gizdic and Kopilaš’s validation study represents a milestone in psychological measurement and social epidemiology. By confirming the Croatian version of the Three-Item Loneliness Scale as a psychometrically sound and clinically relevant instrument, and by clarifying its associations with social network indices, the study enriches our understanding of loneliness in a culturally specific context. This work not only equips researchers and clinicians in Croatia but also contributes to the international dialogue on loneliness measurement, intervention design, and mental health promotion amid shifting social landscapes.
Future research inspired by their findings will undoubtedly explore longitudinal dynamics of loneliness, the role of emerging communication technologies, and intervention efficacy, further unraveling the social fabric underlying human emotional well-being. Gizdic and Kopilaš’s rigorous approach sets a high standard for such endeavors, underscoring the power of concise yet potent measurement tools in addressing one of humanity’s most pressing psychosocial challenges.
Subject of Research: Validation of the Croatian version of the Three-Item Loneliness Scale and its relationship to social network indices.
Article Title: Validation study of the Croatian version of the Three-Item Loneliness Scale and its association to social network indices.
Article References:
Gizdic, A., Kopilaš, V. Validation study of the Croatian version of the Three-Item Loneliness Scale and its association to social network indices. BMC Psychol 13, 451 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02649-5
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