Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support – MSPSS
Measures the extent to which an individual perceives social support from three specific sources: Family, Friends, and a Significant Other.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support – MSPSS was developed by Gregory D. Zimet, Nancy W. Dahlem, Sara G. Zimet, & George K. Farley (1988). It is designed to measure Perceived Social Support. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 12 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Significant Other, Family, Friends.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Significant Other | 1,2,5,10 | 4 |
| Family | 3,4,8,11 | 4 |
| Friends | 6,7,9,12 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 12 to 84. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low perceived social support: 12 – 35
- Moderate perceived social support: 36 – 60
- High perceived social support: 61 – 84
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Family: 0.87, Friends: 0.85, Significant Other: 0.91, Total Scale: 0.88.
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.