MEASURING SOCIAL ISOLATION AMONG ADULT UKRAINIANS

Abstract

The article substantiates the scientific and applied relevance of the problem of social isolation among the adult population of Ukraine in the context of full-scale war, mass relocation, and disruption of habitual social interaction. Based on an interdisciplinary analysis of foreign and domestic concepts, four interrelated domains of isolation have been identified: limited offline contacts, emotional loneliness, insufficient social support, and structural barriers (transport, financial, digital and security). The lack of a contextually relevant diagnostic tool led to the development of the author's scale of social isolation of adult Ukrainians (SSI-AU) and its initial psychometric testing.
Seventy-three respondents aged 18–64 (M = 27.1, SD = 8.9; 58.9% men, 41.1% women) from various settlement types in Ukraine participated in the pilot study of the developed scale. The initial 12-item version of the SSI-DU demonstrated internal consistency (α = 0.78); after removing three items, a 9-item version with α = 0.82 and δ = 0.98 was obtained. Exploratory factor analysis (KMO = 0.79; Bartlett χ² = 233.4; p < 0.001) confirmed a stable three-factor structure, explaining 66.3% of the variance in responses. Convergent validity was confirmed by significant correlations with the UCLA Loneliness Scale and DJGLS; criterial validity was confirmed by a correlation with the behavioural indicator “number of days without leaving home” (r = 0.24; p = 0.05). ROC analysis (AUC = 0.66) confirmed the acceptable diagnostic sensitivity of the questionnaire; due to the pilot nature character of the study, cut-off values have not yet been established.
The results confirm the reliability and validity of the 9-item SSI-AU, justifying its suitability as a screening tool in psychological practice and social work. Further stages of validation include test-retest verification, sample expansion and stratification, establishment of norms, and determination of diagnostic thresholds for different age and social groups within the adult population of Ukraine.