Loneliness

The subjective feeling of being alone or disconnected from others, regardless of the actual quantity of social contacts a person has. Loneliness differs from social isolation in that it reflects perceived rather than objective social disconnection—a person can feel lonely in a crowd or content while alone. In accessibility contexts, loneliness is particularly relevant for older adults and people with disabilities who may face barriers to social participation including inaccessible transportation, communication technologies, and community spaces. The UCLA Loneliness Scale is a widely used instrument for measuring loneliness in research and clinical settings.