Validation of the Social Connectedness Scale in Argentinean adult sample

Abstract

The feeling of social connectedness is an extremely important factor for the psychosocial well-being of individuals. Experiencing closeness, belonging, and mutual acknowledgement with the people who are part of the social circle, contributes to the establishment and maintenance of positive and stable relationships over time, as well as numerous benefits regarding the quality of life and mental health of individuals. In order to contribute to the field of study of interpersonal relationships, this study aims to adapt and validate the Social Connectedness Scale for Argentinean adults. The sample consisted of 399 individuals between the ages of 18 and 79 who completed the scale which was previously translated and submitted to expert judges. The results confirmed the one-dimensional structure of the scale, invariant by sex, with good internal consistency (ω = .92). Furthermore, evidence of convergent and discriminant validity was provided through correlations with measures of extroversion (rp=.37) and social anxiety (rp = -.61). It is concluded that the measures provided by the Argentinean version of the social connectedness scale are both valid and reliable to be used in research, as well as in clinical settings in Argentinean population.