Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire – NSSQ
Measures multiple dimensions of social support, including affect, affirmation, and aid, provided by members of the respondent's social network.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire – NSSQ was developed by Jane S. Norbeck, Ada M. Lindsey, Virginia L. Carrieri (1981). It is designed to measure Social Support. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 6 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Affect, Affirmation, Aid.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Affect | 1,2 | 2 |
| Affirmation | 3,4 | 2 |
| Aid | 5,6 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not at all, 1 = A little, 2 = Moderately, 3 = Quite a bit, 4 = A great deal.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 24. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Support: 0 – 8
- Moderate Support: 9 – 16
- High Support: 17 – 24
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Affect subscale alpha = .98, Affirmation subscale alpha = .97, Aid subscale alpha = .91.
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.