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Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)
Psychology: Mental HealthReliability: alpha 0.85–0.913 sample items
About this scale
A 12-item measure of perceived social support across three sources: family, friends, and significant other (4 items each).
Sample item(s)
“My family really tries to help me (family)”
“My friends really try to help me (friends)”
“There is a special person who is around when I am in need (significant other)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.85–0.91. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Free for academic use.
Source & 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, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 30–41.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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