Long and Perkins (2003) conducted a confirmatory factor analysis of the Sense of Community Index (SCI), which is a widely used measure of the sense of community. The researchers sought to identify the underlying factors that contribute to the sense of community and to develop a brief version of the SCI that could be used more easily in research. They found that the SCI was composed of four dimensions: membership, influence, fulfillment of needs, and shared emotional connection. They also developed a shorter version of the SCI that includes these four dimensions.