Scale Overview & Construct
19-item scale measuring perceived availability of emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, and positive social interaction support.
Purpose & Measurement Objectives
Instrument Specifications
Scientific Documentation & Psychometric Rigor
Internal Consistency & Reliability
Original validation study reported high internal consistency across all subscales.
Construct & Criterion Validity
Developed as part of the Medical Outcomes Study; widely used and validated in health-related social-support research since.
Academic Citations
Sherbourne, C. D., & Stewart, A. L. (1991). The MOS social support survey. Social Science & Medicine, 32(6), 705-714.
Academic Citation & Instrument Provenance
When referencing this instrument in research, academic theses, or clinical institutional audits, please cite the original author publication:
Governance, Boundaries & Ethical Use
Imported from the OpenScales open item-bank project. The original instrument's first, structural item (asking for a numeric count of close friends/relatives) is not included, since this platform's question format is option-based, not free numeric entry. This specific digital implementation has not been independently validated by PsiQ.
License: CC BY 4.0. Citation: Sherbourne & Stewart (1991), Social Science & Medicine, 32(6), 705-714.