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BioPsychoSocial Assessment Tools for the Elderly - Assessment Summary Sheet Test: Lubben Social Network Scale–Revised (LSNS-R) Year: 2002 Domain: Social Assessment Tool Category: Social Support Networks Variations/Translations: The LSNS-R is a revised version of the original tool (LSNS) from 1988. The tool has an abbreviated version (LSNS-6) and an expanded version (LSNS-18). It has also been translated into several languages including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Spanish. Setting: Older adults from a range of settings including the community, hospitals, adult day care centers, assisted living facilities and doctors’ offices. Method of Delivery: Self-administered questionnaire with health professionals as informants. Description: This tool is designed to gauge social isolation in older adults by measuring perceived social support received by family, friends and mutual supports (eg. neighbours), including confidant relationships. It consists of 12 items which measure size, closeness and frequency of contacts of a respondent’s social network. Some items ask about the number of family members and friends the older adult contacts and how frequently. Other items ask about helping others, having confidants, being a confidant and current living arrangements. Scoring/Interpretation: Scores for each question range from zero to five, with zero indicating minimal social integration and five indicating substantial social integration. The LSNS-R total score is an equally weighted sum of the 12 questions. Scores range from 0 to 60 with higher scores indicating a greater level of social support and low risk for isolation. A score less than 20 may indicate a person with an extremely limited social network and high risk for isolation. Low scores have also been correlated with mortality, all-cause hospitalizations, physical health problems, depression and other mental health problems, and a lack of adherence to good health practices. Time to Administer: Approximately 5-10 minutes.
Availability: Patrons are welcome to use the scale, however, the host requests users to complete a brief demographic questionnaire at http://www2.bc.edu/~norstraj/Permission.htm. LSNS-R is available for free at http://www2.bc.edu/~norstraj/LSNS-R.htm LSNS-6 is available for free at http://www2.bc.edu/~norstraj/LSNS-6.htm LSNS-18 is available for free at http://www2.bc.edu/~norstraj/LSNS-18.htm Software: N/A Website: http://www2.bc.edu/~norstraj/default.html Quantitative/Qualitative: Quantitative Validity (Quantitative): The validity for LSNS-R has not been reported for the English version. Reliability (Quantitative): LSNS-R has very good reliability as measured by the internal consistency Cronbach Alpha value of .78. The correlation coefficient between the original LSNS and LSNS-R was 0.68. References: Lubben, J., Blozik, E., Gillmann, G., Iliffe, S., von Renteln Kruse, W., Beck, J.C., …Stuck, A.E. (2006). Performance of an abbreviated version of the Lubben Social Network Scale among three European community-dwelling older adult populations. The Gerontologist, 46(4), 503–513. Lubben, J., & Gironda, M. (2004). Measuring social networks and assessing their benefits. In C. Phillipson, G. Allan & D. Morgan (Eds.). Social networks and social exclusion: Sociological and policy perspectives. England: Ashgate Publishing Limited. Lubben, J., & Gironda, M. (2003). Centrality of social ties to the health and well-being of older adults. In B. Berkman & L. Harootyan (Eds.). Social work and health care in an aging society. New York: Springer Publishing Company. Comments: The tool has been used as a screening assessment for health risk appraisals and as a ‘gold’ standard to evaluate other social network assessment instruments. |