Scale Overview
The Inventory of Social Supportive Behavior – ISSB was developed by Manuel Barrera Jr., Irwin N. Sandler, & Thomas B. Ramsay (1981). It is designed to measure Enacted Social Support. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 40 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Directive Guidance, Non-directive/Emotional Support, Positive Social Interaction, Tangible Assistance.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Directive Guidance |
5,12,13,15,16,19,21,23,27,32,33,35,36 |
13 |
| Non-directive/Emotional Support |
8,10,11,14,18,24,26,28,29,30,31 |
11 |
| Positive Social Interaction |
6,7,37 |
3 |
| Tangible Assistance |
1,2,3,4,9,17,20,22,25,34,38,39,40 |
13 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all, 2 = Once or twice, 3 = Once a week, 4 = Several times a week, 5 = Every day.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 40 to 200. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Social Support: 40 – 93
- Moderate Social Support: 94 – 147
- High Social Support: 148 – 200
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.92 – 0.94.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.