The dimensions underlying loneliness counseling interventions: A multidimensional scaling solution

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate major dimensions affecting the acceptability of loneliness counseling interventions from the potential client's perspective and to compare the results with dimensions posited by theoretical models of treatment acceptability. Data were collected from 241 university students who were asked to sort loneliness counseling interventions on the basis of their similarities. Multidimensional scaling analyses revealed 4 dimensions underlying the acceptability of loneliness counseling interventions: the type of activity required by the intervention, the counselor-client relationship, the difficulty of the intervention, and the fit of the intervention to the problem.