Process / pipelineSocial support and resilience assessment

Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)

The MSPSS is a 12-item self-report scale measuring perceived adequacy of social support from three key sources: family, friends, and significant other. Developed by Zimet and colleagues in 1988, the MSPSS assesses the subjective sense that one has available emotional and instrumental support—a critical protective factor against trauma-related psychopathology and a key component of resilience. The scale is widely used in trauma, mental health, and medical research to evaluate social support as both an outcome and a moderator of symptom severity.

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Sources

  1. 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. DOI: 10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2
  2. Canty-Mitchell, J., & Zimet, G. D. (2000). Psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support in urban adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 28(3), 391-400. DOI: 10.1023/A:1005629002360

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Referenced by

ScholarGateMultidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/trauma-psychology/multidimensional-perceived-social-support