CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY OF COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL TREATMENTS FOR INTIMATE AND SOCIAL LONELINESS

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two cognitive- behavioral interventions whose contents were matched to distinct types of loneliness (intimate and social) derived from empirical and theore tical literature and from a factor analysis of the Revised UCLA Loneli ness Scale. Screened participants were assessed on measures varying in theoretical relevance to the treatment conditions. The hypotheses wer e that each treatment would favorably influence measures of high theor etical relevance (e.g., the social loneliness treatment would reflect changes on measures of social loneliness) and would have comparatively lesser effects on measures of lower theoretical relevance. Analysis o f Covariance on pre-, post-, and follow-up data indicated that the soc ial loneliness treatment significantly decreased both intimate and soc ial loneliness in the absence of differences on control variables. Iss ues relevant to the construct validity of the distinct treatments are discussed.