The Lubben Social Network Scale

The Lubben Social Network Scale can be used to assess the level of social supportavailable to an elderly patient. This can help identify a person who may need assistanceor help and when. The author is from the University of California in Los Angeles.

Measures: 10 questions(1) family networks: 3 questions(2) friends networks: 3 questions(3) confidant relationships: 2 questions(4) helping others: 1 two part question(5) living arrangements: 1 question

Question Response Points(1) How many relatives do you see or hear fromat least once a month?

0 0

1 12 23 pr 4 35 to 8 4>= 9 5

(2) Tell me about the relative with whom youhave the most contact: How often do you see orhear from that person?

less than monthly 0

monthly 1a few times a month 2weekly 3a few times a week 4daily 5

(3) How many relatives do you feel close to?That is how many of them do you feel at easewith can talk about private matters or can call forhelp?

0 0

1 12 23 or 4 35 to 8 4>= 9 5

(4) Do you have any close friends? That is do youhave any friends with whom you feel at ease cantalk to about private matters or can call on forhelp? If so how many?

0 0

1 1

Reproduced from Lubben, Family & Community Health 1988;11:42-52 with permission (LWW).

2 23 or 4 35 to 8 4>= 9 5

(5) How many of these friends do you see or hearfrom at least once a month?

0 0

1 12 23 or 4 35 to 8 4>= 9 5

(6) Tell me about the friend with whom you havethe most contact. How often do you see or hearfrom that person?

less than monthly 0

monthly 1a few times a month 2weekly 3a few times a week 4daily 5

(7) When you have an important decision tomake do you have someone you can talk to aboutit?

never 0

seldom 1sometimes 2often 3very often 4always 5

(8) When other people you know have animportant decision to make do they talk to youabout it?

never 0

seldom 1sometimes 2often 3very often 4always 5

(9a) Does anybody rely on you to something forthem each day?

yes 5

no (if so go to 9b)(9b) Do you help anybody with something eachday?

very often 4

often 3

Reproduced from Lubben, Family & Community Health 1988;11:42-52 with permission (LWW).

sometimes 2seldom 1never 0

(10) Do you live alone or with other people? live with spouse 5live with otherrelatives or friends

4

live with otherunrelatedindividuals (paidhelp etc.)

1

live alone 0where:• In-laws are considered as relatives.

• Examples of helping others: shopping cooking dinner doing repairs cleaning houseproviding child care etc.?• For item 9 I interpret the first part as referring to one person while the second partmight apply to more than one person.

total score = SUM (points for all 10 questions)

Interpretation:• minimum score: 0• maximum score: 50• The higher the score the greater the level of social support.• A score < 20 indicates a person who may have an extremely limited social network.

Score Interpretation< 20 isolated

21 – 25 high risk for isolation26 – 30 moderate risk for isolation>= 31 low risk for isolation

Reproduced from Lubben, Family & Community Health 1988;11:42-52 with permission (LWW).