Psychometrics properties of the Reduced Version of the Social Support Perception Scale

Abstract

Social support is a relational process in which informational, instrumental, and affective aids are offered by groups and / or persons, capable of producing positive effects on well-being, health, and stress. The study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the reduced version of the Social Support Perception Scale (SSPS) for people living in poverty contexts. Participants comprised 1113 (valid questionnaires) adults with an average age of 42.25 years (SD = 17.57), including men (29.7%) and women (70.3%), from the Brazilian states of Ceará, Amazonas, and Paraná. Reliability, factorial exploratory and confirmatory analyzes were performed. The bifactorial structure of the instrument was verified, as well as excellent reliability and internal consistency indexes. Factors presented satisfactory factor loads and items grouped differently from the original scale. Originally composed by the factors Practical Support and Emotional Support, it is proposed a new nomenclature of factors such as Cognitive-Instrumental Support and Emotional-Cooperative Support. The reduced version of the SSPS is considered suitable for use in populations living in poverty contexts.

Keywords:
social support; psychometrics; poverty