Scale Overview
The Perceived Social Support Scale – Family and Friends (PSSS-FA/FR) was developed by Mary E. Procidano, Kenneth Heller (1983). It is designed to measure Perceived Social Support. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 40 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Perceived Social Support from Family (PSSS-FA), Perceived Social Support from Friends (PSSS-FR).
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Perceived Social Support from Family (PSSS-FA) |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 |
20 |
| Perceived Social Support from Friends (PSSS-FR) |
21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40 |
20 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: yes = Yes, no = No, dont_know = Don't Know.
The scale includes 11 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 20. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Perceived Support: 0 – 6
- Moderate Perceived Support: 7 – 13
- High Perceived Support: 14 – 20
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha of 0.88 to 0.90.
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.