Analysis

The analysis of the SPS-O includes the evaluation of the tool’s psychometric reliability and validity. This analysis involves examining the internal consistency of the items, test-retest reliability, as well as convergent and divergent validity. Factor analyses are used to confirm the structure of the instrument and to ensure that it effectively measures the different dimensions of social support.

Objective

The objective of the SPS-O is to provide a reliable and valid means of assessing the social support that individuals receive. This tool can be used in clinical practice to evaluate patients’ support needs, as well as in research to study the relationship between social support and mental or physical health.

Calibration

The calibration of the SPS-O is conducted using a Likert scale, where responses range from 1 (not at all) to 4 (very much), depending on the extent to which individuals feel they receive the given support. Total scores are calculated by summing the item scores for each dimension of social support. Higher scores indicate greater perceived social support.

References

The literature on the SPS-O includes studies that document the development and validation of the instrument. One of the key studies is by Oluwatomiwo et al. (2020), published in the Journal of Social Support Research. This study describes the process of developing the SPS-O, evaluating its reliability and validity, as well as its usefulness across various populations and settings.