Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale

What it measures

Twelve items measure the degree to which an individual feels supported across three distinct relational sources: family (items 1-4), friends (items 5-8), and a significant other (items 9-12). The scale captures both practical assistance and emotional support dimensions within each source, tapping beliefs about availability of help, willingness to assist with decisions, the ability to share difficulties, and having someone to count on. It has been used in consumer and marketing research as a measure of social embeddedness and as a manipulation check in experiments involving social connection.

Scale items

• My family really tries to help me.
• I get the emotional help and support I need from my family.
• I can talk about my problems with my family.
• My family is willing to help me make decisions.
• My friends really try to help me.
• I can count on my friends when things go wrong.
• I have friends with whom I can share my joys and sorrows.
• I can talk about my problems with my friends.
• There is a special person who is around when I am in need.
• There is a special person with whom I can share my joys and sorrows.
• I have a special person who is a real source of comfort to me.
• There is a special person in my life who cares about my feelings.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

The original three-factor structure (Family, Friends, Significant Other) was established by Zimet et al. (1988) and has been replicated across diverse samples and languages. Researchers using fewer than all 12 items should be aware that the Family and Friends subscales (items 1-8) have been used as a shortened version in at least one marketing study, but the Significant Other subscale should be retained when romantic attachment or intimate support is theoretically relevant. A potential dimensionality tension exists: Ruvio, Somer, and Rindfleisch (2014) reported apparent unidimensionality for the combined family and friends subscales, which could be reconciled if these are first-order factors within a higher-order social support construct. The scale is freely available for use without permission. Test-retest reliabilities over 2-3 months were .85 (family), .75 (friends), and .72 (significant other), per Zimet et al. (1988).

Citation

Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30-41.

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