Process / pipelinesocial-connection-isolation

Social Engagement Scale

The Social Engagement Scale (SES) is a brief self-report measure assessing the frequency and quality of social contact and participation in social activities in older adults. While multiple versions exist (developed by various researchers in gerontology), the core concept measures social connection—the degree to which individuals maintain relationships with family and friends, participate in community activities, and feel engaged with others. The SES is used in research, clinical gerontology, and public health to evaluate social isolation risk, predict mortality and health outcomes, and measure outcomes of social intervention programs.

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Sources

  1. Paulson, D., & Willig, C. (2008). Older adults' engagement with online information about health: web site accessibility, usefulness, and trust. Gerontology, 54(5), 523-533. DOI: 10.1159/000129948
  2. Beck, F., Voelker, M., & Baumeister, R. F. (2016). Social connection and health: a meta-analytic review. J Psychol Health, 31(5), 584-604. DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2016.1139140
  3. Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS Med, 7(7), e1000316. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

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Referenced by

ScholarGateSES (Social Engagement Scale). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/gerontology/social-engagement-scale