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Social Support Inventory (SSI)

The Social Support Inventory (SSI) is a 20-item self-reported measure of social support pertaining to emotional support, informative support, social companionship, or instrumental support.

Categories

Geographies Tested: Netherlands

Populations Included: Female, Male

Age Range: Adolescents, Adults

Items:

  1. Cheers you up
  2. Supports your actions
  3. Pays you a social visit
  4. Lends you small things like effects or a little money
  5. Says to you ‘That is the right way’
  6. Hugs you or cherishes you
  7. Gives you advice on all kinds of small domestic problems
  8. Calls you up just for a chat
  9. Feels with you
  10. Makes constructive criticism about you
  11. Takes you somewhere
  12. Shows affection for you
  13. Takes care of diversion
  14. Offers you help under special circumstances, like illness, moving, babysitting
  15. Makes you understand why you did something wrong
  16. Goes shopping, to the cinema, to a match or just a day out with you
  17. Caresses you
  18. Offers you practical help with daily matters, like housekeeping or a small job
  19. Emphasizes your strong points
  20. Invites you to a party or for dinner

Response Options:
Much too little support -1
Too little support - 2
Enough support - 3
Too much social support - 4
Much too much support - 5

Scoring Procedures

A total measure of social support can be obtained by summation of all the item scores.

Original Citation

Timmerman, I. H., EmanuelsZuurveen, E. S., & Emmelkamp, P. G. (2000). The Social Support Inventory (SSI): A brief scale to assess perceived adequacy of social support. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy: An International Journal of Theory & Practice, 7(5), 401-410.


Psychometric Score

Ease of Use Score

Scoring breakdown

Formative Research

Qualitative Research

Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework

Field Expert Input

Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing

Reliability

Internal

Test-retest

Interrater

Validity

Content

Face

Criterion (gold-standard)

Construct

KEY

Ease of Use

Readability

Scoring Clarity

Length

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