ABRIDGED QUESTIONNAIRE[1]

If you have answered this questionnaire previously and want to redo the questionnaire please enter the random number assigned when you first answered this questionnaire (remember to include a minus sign if one was present):

If you have answered this questionnaire previously, but you can't remember your 5-digit number, please check here:

In this first section I would like to get some information about yourself:

1. Age:

2. Sex: (Male/Female)

3. Nationality (or the country where you have spend most of your life):

4. Ethnic Background:(not required)

5. Highest Level of Education: (None, Primary Education, Secondary/High School, Technical/Vocational College)

Next I would like to get some information about your internet habits:

6.  How regularly do you use the internet?

Several times a day

Once a day

Several times a week

Once a week

Several times a month

Once a month

Several times a year

This is my first time on the Web

7.  What do you use the internet for (check all that apply)?

Work

Entertainment

News/Weather/Sports

Reference Information

Instant Messaging

Email

Chat Rooms

Newsgroups

School-Related Activities

Looking for new and interesting sites on the web

Purchasing or shopping at online stores

Playing Games

Other (please specify):

8.  Out of the 13 activities listed above, which one activity has the most importance in your personal life (please select one)?

Work

Entertainment

News/Weather/Sports

Reference Information

Instant Messaging

Email

Chat Rooms

Newsgroups

School-Related Activities

Looking for new and interesting sites on the web

Purchasing or shopping at online stores

Playing Games

Other (as stated above)

9. Please give the URL addresses of your five favorite websites you usually visit while on the internet:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Please read the following introduction:

Sometimes when people experience loneliness they help themselves feel better by thinking certain thoughts or having certain wishes. Please indicate how much of each of the following thoughts have made or do make you feel better when you are feeling lonely. Please answer all questions.

Responses: Hardly at all, A little bit, Somewhat, Quite a lot, Extremely

Aesthetics

10. Thinking about the beauties of nature, like a beautiful sunset

11. Thinking about beautiful art or music

12. The thought of traveling to interesting places

13. Remembering a wonderful love story

Use of God

14. Knowing that God will take care of me

15. Knowing that God will protect me

16. Knowing that God loves me

Power and Revenge

17. The thought of people obeying me because of the powerful position I have reached

18. The thought of really putting someone down who thinks he/she is great

19. Becoming so powerful that no one could ever hurt me again.

Admiration of Self

20. Thinking of how someone appreciates my good qualities

21. Thinking about the good deeds I have done and will do in the future

22. The thought of how good I am for being able to take my troubles

23. Thinking about how considerate I am of others, even when they are not nice to me

24. The thought of being popular and well-liked

Withdrawal

25. Locking myself away (mentally) someplace where I won't get hurt

26. Thinking of hiding myself away within a mental shell or wall where I am safe and no one can hurt me

27. Mentally withdrawing to a safe place where people cannot hurt me

28. Being alone

29. The thought of taking something (marijuana, alcohol or drugs) that would make me feel better

Love and Closeness

30. Having someone love me a tremendous amount

31. Finding someone who I can love a great deal

32. Being close with someone who would know all my wishes and who could help sustain me

33. Being so close with someone that I would know their every wish and they could know all of mine

Suffering

34. Feeling sad about myself and my life

35. Thinking about all my suffering

36. Thinking that everything is a dream, so I will wake up some day and everything will be alright

37. Thinking about how other people are worse off than I am

Competition

38. Being a star athlete

39. Thinking about the excitement or pleasure in watching sports

Please read the following introduction:

There are a lot of others ways to deal with loneliness.  This part of the questionnaire will ask you to indicate what you generally do and feel when you experience loneliness.  Obviously, different events bring out somewhat different responses, but think about what you usually do when you feel lonely especially when loneliness becomes a problem or burden for you.

Responses:  I usually don't do this at all, I usually do this a little bit, I usually do this a medium amount, I usually do this a lot.

Active coping and planning

40. I take action to try to get rid of the problem

41. I concentrate my efforts on doing something about it

42. I try to come up with a strategy about what to do

43. I think about how I might best handle the problem

Instrumental Social Support

44. I try to get advice from someone about what to do

45. I ask people who have had similar experiences what they did

Emotional Social Support

46. I talk to someone about how I feel

47. I try to get emotional support from friends and relatives

48. I discuss my feelings with someone

Positive Reinterpretation

49. I look for something good in what is happening

50. I try to see it in a different light, to make it seem more positive

Acceptance

51. I can learn to live with it

52. I give up the attempt to get rid of my loneliness

53. I admit to myself that I can't deal with it, and quit trying

Venting of Emotions

54. I get upset and let my emotions out

55. I let my feelings out

56. I feel a lot of emotional distress and I find myself expressing those feelings a lot

Work or Study

57. I turn to work or my studies to take my mind off things

Listen to music

58. I listen to music to help relieve my loneliness

Exercise or Walk

59. I do exercises or go for a walk

Work on hobby

60. I work on a hobby, like reading or playing music to take my mind off things

Start to cry

61. I start to cry when I feel lonely

Sit and think/do nothing

62. I usually sit and think or do nothing

Eat more

63. I eat more than usual

Go to movies/watch TV

64. I go to the movies or watch TV, to think about it less

Daydream

65. I daydream about things other than this

Sleep more

66. I sleep more than usual

Spend money

67. I go shopping when I feel lonely

68. I spend money when I feel lonely

Use the Internet

69. I use the internet when I feel lonely

Please read the following introduction:

For each of the twelve statements below, please indicate how much you feel this particular way:

Responses: I never feel this way, I rarely feel this way, I sometimes feel this way, I often feel this way

Loneliness measure

70. I lack companionship

71. There is no one I can turn to

72. I feel left out

73. I feel isolated from others

74. I am unhappy being so withdrawn

75. People are around me but not with me

76. There are people who really understand me

77. My friendships are superficial

78. No one really knows me well

79. I am an outgoing person

80. I can find companionship when I want it

81. I feel lonely