Description

The Duke Social Support and Stress Scale (DUSOCS) is a tool designed to measure social support and the stress that arises from social relationships. This questionnaire was developed by Duke University and is widely used in clinical and research studies to assess social support and stress factors from an individual’s family and social circle.

Analysis

The DUSOCS includes various questions that evaluate the quality of social support from family members, friends, and other social relationships, as well as the stress caused by those same relationships. The responses are usually given on a Likert scale, where participants assess the intensity of the support or stress they experience from specific sources.

Purpose

The main objectives of the DUSOCS are:
Assessment of social support: To determine the amount and quality of support an individual receives from their social environment.
Assessment of social stress: To identify the relationships that cause stress and pressure to the individual.
Design of interventions: To be used as a tool for the development and implementation of intervention strategies to improve social support and reduce social stress.

Scoring

The scoring of the DUSOCS is based on the answers given to each question. The total score is calculated separately for social support and social stress. High scores in social support indicate strong and positive social relationships, while high scores in social stress indicate high levels of stress arising from social relationships.

References

Parkerson GR, Gehlbach SH, Wagner EH, James SA, Clapp NE, Muhlbaier LH. The Duke Social Support and Stress Scale: validity and reliability. Soc Sci Med. 1989;29(11):1387-1396.
Parkerson GR, Broadhead WE, Tse CK. The health status and life satisfaction of first-year medical students. Acad Med. 1990;65(9):586-588.
Broadhead WE, Gehlbach SH, De Gruy FV, Kaplan BH. The Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Med Care. 1988;26(7):709-723.