The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is a 12-item measure designed to assess perceptions of social support adequacy from three specific sources: family, friends and significant other.
High Psychometric Score
Response Options:
Very Strongly Disagree - 1
Strongly Disagree - 2
Disagree - 3
Neither Agree nor Disagree - 4
Agree - 5
Strongly Agree - 6
Very Strongly Agree - 7
GEOGRAPHIES TESTED:
POPULATIONS INCLUDED:
Female
Male
AGE RANGE:
Adolescents
Adults
The mean score is calculated for the total measure and for each of the 3 sub-scales (family, friends and significant other).
PRIMARY CITATION:
Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of personality assessment, 52(1), 30-41.
Qualitative Research
Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework
Field Expert Input
Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing
Internal
Test-Retest
Interrater
Content
Face
Criterion (gold-standard)
Construct
Total Score: 5.50/8 Points (HIGH)
For more details, see Scoring Methodology