Using the Situated Assessment Method (SAM²) to measure social connectedness, social support, and loneliness before and during COVID-19

Increased levels of social connectedness and social support, together with decreased levels of loneliness, have been consistently linked with good mental and physical health. To better understand these constructs, it is important to measure them accurately. In previous work, we used the Situated Assessment Method (SAM²) to develop a situated psychometric instrument for measuring social connectedness and social support. The current work extended this instrument to also assess loneliness, and to assess all three constructs before and during COVID-19. As expected, we observed large individual differences, large situational variance, and large situation by individual interactions in social connectedness, social support, and loneliness. We also established underlying processes that explained high levels of variance in these constructs. Surprisingly, loneliness was unrelated to social connectedness and social support, but was explained well by underlying processes assessed with the SAM2 instrument. Interesting patterns emerged for all three constructs over the course of COVID-19.