Social Support Assessment
Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)
Measure how much support you feel you have from three key sources: family, friends, and a significant other in your life.
How this works: You'll see 12 statements about your relationships. For each one, rate how strongly you agree or disagree on a scale from 1 (Very Strongly Disagree) to 7 (Very Strongly Agree).
There are no right or wrong answers. Think about how you generally feel, not any specific moment.
Note: "Special person" or "significant other" can mean a romantic partner, close friend, mentor, or anyone you consider a major source of personal support.
Question 1 of 12
There is a special person who is around when I am in need.
Question 2 of 12
There is a special person with whom I can share my joys and sorrows.
Question 3 of 12
My family really tries to help me.
Question 4 of 12
I get the emotional help and support I need from my family.
Question 5 of 12
I have a special person who is a real source of comfort to me.
Question 6 of 12
My friends really try to help me.
Question 7 of 12
I can count on my friends when things go wrong.
Question 8 of 12
I can talk about my problems with my family.
Question 9 of 12
I have friends with whom I can share my joys and sorrows.
Question 10 of 12
There is a special person in my life who cares about my feelings.
Question 11 of 12
My family is willing to help me make decisions.
Question 12 of 12
I can talk about my problems with my friends.
Your Perceived Social Support
Based on your responses to all 12 questions
Your score suggests you feel well-supported by the people in your life. This is often linked to better stress coping and mental health. Your sense of support can act as a protective factor during difficult times.
Support by Source
See how your perceived support varies across different relationships.
| Score Range | Level | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 - 7.0 | High | You feel strongly supported |
| 3.0 - 5.0 | Moderate | You have some support but may want more |
| 1.0 - 2.9 | Low | You may be feeling isolated or unsupported |
The Research Behind This Assessment
The MSPSS is one of the most widely used measures of perceived social support in psychology research.
From the Research
"The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support is a short instrument designed to measure an individual's perception of support from 3 sources: family, friends, and a significant other."
โ 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.
What makes this scale different
- Measures perceived support, not actual support received
- Separates support into three distinct sources
- Brief (12 items) but comprehensive
- Free to use for research and educational purposes
From the Research
"Across many studies, the MSPSS has been shown to have good internal and test-retest reliability, good validity, and a fairly stable factorial structure."
โ Zimet, G. D., et al. (1990). Psychometric Characteristics of the MSPSS. Journal of Personality Assessment, 55(3-4), 610-617.
Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's alpha values above 0.70 are considered acceptable; above 0.80 is good. All MSPSS subscales exceed this threshold.
From the Research
"As predicted, high levels of perceived social support were associated with low levels of depression and anxiety symptomatology."
โ Zimet, G. D., et al. (1988). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30-41.
Why perceived support matters
Research consistently shows that people who feel more supported tend to:
- Report lower levels of stress and anxiety
- Show better coping during difficult times
- Experience better overall mental wellbeing
- Have stronger resilience to life challenges
The MSPSS has been validated in over 20 languages and used across diverse populations including adolescents, adults, medical patients, and various cultural groups.
How People Typically Score
Research samples provide context for interpreting your results.
Average scores from Zimet et al. (1990). Most people score in the 5-6 range, which falls in the "high support" category. Scores below 3 are uncommon and may indicate significant isolation.
About This Assessment
This tool uses the official MSPSS questionnaire with permission. Here's what you should know: