Perceived Social Support Scale [PSSS-FR-40]

Description

The Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS-FR-40) is an instrument used to assess the extent to which individuals perceive that they receive support from their social environment. The scale examines support from different sources, including family, friends, and significant others.

The emphasis is placed on the individual’s subjective perception of the availability and quality of social support, particularly whether they feel that there are people they can rely on for help, communication, or emotional support.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the PSSS-FR-40 is to measure perceived social support from an individual’s social network. The assessment includes different forms of support, such as emotional support, practical assistance, and the availability of others for communication and sharing experiences.

The scale can help researchers and clinical professionals better understand the level of support available to an individual and how this may relate to psychological and emotional health.

Structure

The PSSS-FR-40 includes questions that assess different aspects and sources of social support.

Its structure is intended to capture not only the existence of social relationships, but also the extent to which these relationships are perceived as available and supportive.

Scoring

The scale uses a five-point Likert response format, ranging from:

1 = Not at all
to
5 = Very much.

The total score is calculated by summing responses across the individual items.

Higher scores indicate greater perceived social support, whereas lower scores indicate lower levels of perceived support from the social environment.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

The results can be used to estimate an individual’s overall level of perceived social support.

Interpretation may also focus on different sources of support, such as family and friends, particularly when the specific version of the instrument allows separate analysis of these dimensions.

Applications

The PSSS-FR-40 may be used in research examining social support, mental health, emotional well-being, social adjustment, and coping with stressful situations.

It may also be used in clinical, social, and educational settings to identify individuals with limited perceived social support and to support interventions aimed at strengthening social networks.

References

Procidano, M. E., & Heller, K. (1983). Measures of perceived social support from friends and from family: Three validation studies. American Journal of Community Psychology, 11(1), 1–24.

Nadel, S. (2014). Developing a Social Support Measurement Instrument: A Methodological Approach to Measuring Undergraduate Perceptions of Social Support. Master of Arts thesis, Ohio State University.