Social exclusion, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness: construct validity and psychometric properties of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire among patients with sexually transmitted infections in Shanghai, China.

This was the first study to highlight social exclusion as a distinct but related dimension of interpersonal needs. This finding indicates that patients with STIs perceive high social exclusion. Therefore, health providers should consider the psychological status of these patients and implement strategies to support their integration into society.