Religious Support Scale – RSS
Measures different dimensions of social support and negative interactions within a religious congregation.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Religious Support Scale – RSS was developed by Neil Krause (2003). It is designed to measure Religious Support. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 12 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Emotional Support Received from Others, Emotional Support Provided to Others, Negative Interactions, Anticipated Support.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional Support Received from Others | 1,2,3 | 3 |
| Emotional Support Provided to Others | 4,5,6 | 3 |
| Negative Interactions | 7,8,9 | 3 |
| Anticipated Support | 10,11,12 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 4 = Very often / A great deal, 3 = Fairly often / Some, 2 = Once in a while / A little, 1 = Never / None.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 3 to 12. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Subscale Score: 3 – 5
- Moderate Subscale Score: 6 – 9
- High Subscale Score: 10 – 12
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.