Personal Resource Questionnaire

Abstract

The Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ), specifically the revised 1985 version, Part 2 (PRQ85-Part 2), is a widely recognized instrument designed to measure an individual’s perception of available social support. Developed by Brandt and Weinert in 1981 and subsequently refined, the PRQ85-Part 2 consists of 25 items scored on a 7-point Likert scale. This instrument is frequently utilized in healthcare, particularly nursing research, to assess how various dimensions of support—including intimacy, social integration, worth, and aid—influence health behaviors and outcomes in diverse populations.

The scale provides a comprehensive assessment of the functional and structural aspects of perceived social resources, making it a valuable tool for understanding the mediators of positive health practices across different demographic groups, such as adolescents and college students.

Keywords

Social Support, Personal Resources, PRQ85, Nursing Research, Health Practices, Psychological Measurement, Perceived Support, Psychological Construct

Authors

P. A. Brandt, C. Weinert

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ85-Part 2) is to provide a quantitative, reliable measure of an individual’s perception of the quality and availability of their social support system. It is designed to evaluate whether respondents feel they have adequate resources—both emotional and practical—available to them during times of need or crisis.

In clinical and research settings, the PRQ is instrumental in correlating perceived support with various health variables, including coping mechanisms, stress levels, and engagement in positive health practices. The instrument aims to capture the subjective experience of being supported, rather than simply counting network members.

Construct

The central psychological construct measured by the PRQ85-Part 2 is Social Support, conceptualized as a multidimensional resource. While the original PRQ Part 1 assessed satisfaction with support, Part 2 focuses on the availability of specific support behaviors and resources.

Based on extensive psychometric testing, the scale typically yields scores reflecting two primary dimensions of social support: 1) the availability of intimate relationships and dependable assistance (often referred to as Functional Support), and 2) the degree of social integration and perceived worth (Structural Support). These dimensions encompass feelings of security, belonging, affirmation, and access to material or informational aid.

Validity

Studies examining the PRQ85-Part 2, particularly those conducted by Weinert and Brandt (1987), have provided strong evidence for its validity. Content validity was established through expert review and linkage to established theoretical frameworks of social support. Construct validity has been demonstrated through factor analysis, confirming the instrument’s ability to measure the theorized sub-dimensions of support.

Furthermore, criterion-related validity has been supported by consistent findings showing significant correlations between PRQ scores and relevant health outcomes, such as reduced stress, improved coping effectiveness, and adherence to positive health practices, confirming that the scale measures what it intends to measure within clinical populations.

Reliability

The PRQ85-Part 2 exhibits robust internal consistency and stability, demonstrating high reliability across varied samples. Initial studies reported high coefficient alpha values, often exceeding 0.90 for the total scale score, indicating excellent internal consistency among the 25 items.

Test-retest reliability has also been established, confirming the stability of the scores over reasonable time intervals. This strong psychometric profile ensures that the instrument provides dependable and consistent measurements of perceived social resources, making it suitable for longitudinal studies and clinical assessments.

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis of the PRQ85-Part 2 generally supports a two-factor structure, consistent with the theoretical framework developed by the authors. Although the specific interpretation of the factors can vary slightly across studies, the two major factors typically identified are:

• Factor I: Social Integration and Worth: This factor includes items related to belonging to a group, feeling important, receiving affirmation for work, and having opportunities to be giving and caring to others (e.g., items 2, 3, 6, 8, 11, 12, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23).

• Factor II: Intimacy and Aid: This factor represents the availability of close, intimate relationships, unconditional love, and the provision of practical or informational assistance over extended periods (e.g., items 1, 5, 9, 14, 15, 19, 22, 25).

This bifactorial structure allows researchers to analyze both the quality of close relationships and the breadth of the social network available to the respondent.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire designed to measure perceived social support.

Format: 25 items scored on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 7 (Strongly Agree). Five items (4, 7, 10, 16, and 24) are reverse-scored to control for response bias.

Language Available: Primarily English (Original development).

Population Group: Adults and Adolescents, frequently used in patient populations and health-related research.

Age Group: Late adolescents through older adults.

Population Details: The PRQ85-Part 2 has been widely used in studies involving diverse populations, including Black late adolescents, middle adolescents, Filipino women, and Asian American college students, often in the context of examining the relationship between social support and health behaviors.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement with each statement regarding the resources and support available to them.

Keywords

PRQ85-Part 2, Social Integration, Intimacy, Reliability, Validity, Psychological Assessment, Stress Coping, Health Behavior

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source materials.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source materials.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source materials. Correspondence should be directed to the authors’ affiliated institutions at the time of publication (1980s).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1981 (Initial publication of PRQ), 1985 (Revision PRQ85).

Permissions and Fees: Information regarding current licensing fees or explicit permissions is not provided in the source material. Researchers should contact the original authors or relevant academic publishers for permissions prior to use.

Reference’s

• Brandt, P. A., & Weinert, C. (1981). The PRQ-A Social Support measure. Nursing Research, 30, 277-280.

• Weinert, C. (1987). A social support measure: PRQ85. Nursing Research, 36, 273-277.

• Weinert, C., & Brandt, P. A. (1987). Measuring social support with the Personal Resource Questionnaire. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 9, 589-602.

• Weinert, C. (1988). Measuring social support: Revision and further development of the Personal Resource Questionnaire. In C. F. Waltz & O. L. Strickland (Eds.), Measurement of nursing outcomes: Measuring client outcomes (Vol. I, pp. 309-327). New York: Springer.

• Ayres. C. G. (2008). Mediators of the relationship between social support and positive health practices in middle adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 22, 94-102.

• Ayres, C. G., Atkins, R., & Li, J. H. (2010). Factors related to health practices: Cervical cancer screening among Filipino women. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice: An International Journal, 24, 197-208.

• Ayres, C. G., & Mahat, G. (2012). Social support, acculturation, and optimism: Understanding positive health practices in Asian American college students. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 23, 270-278.

• Gage, Gale S. (author), 2014. Yarcheski, Adela (chair). An investigation of mediators of the relationship between social support and positive health practices in black late adolescents. Thesis. Rutgers University, Graduate School – Newark. The full instrument can be found on pages 109-111 of this thesis, available online at: https://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/43765/.

Items of the Personal Resource Questionnaire

The Personal Resource Questionnaire 85-Part 2 (PRQ85- Part 2) uses a 7-point scoring system where 1=Strongly Disagree; 2=Disagree; 3=Somewhat Disagree; 4=Neutral; 5=Somewhat Agree; 6=Agree; 7=Strongly Agree. Items 4, 7, 10, 16, and 24 are reverse scored.

1. There is someone I feel close to who makes me feel secure.

2. I belong to a group in which I feel important.

3. People let me know that I do well at my work (job, school).

4. I can’t count on my relatives and friends to help me with my problems.

5. I have enough contact with the person who makes me feel special.

6. I spend time with others who have the same interests I do.

7. There is little opportunity in my life to be giving and caring to another person.

8. Others let me know that they enjoy working with me (job, committees, projects).

9. There are people who are available if I needed help over an extended period of time.

10. There is no one to talk to about how I am feeling.

11. Among my group of friends we do favors for each other.

12. I have the opportunity to encourage others to develop their interests and skills.

13. My family lets me know that I am important for keeping the family running.

14. I have relatives or friends that will help me out even if I can’t pay them back.

15. When I am upset there is someone I can be with who lets me be myself.

16. I feel no one has the same problems as I.

17. I enjoy doing little “extra” things that make another person’s life more pleasant.

18. I know that others appreciate me as a person.

19. There is someone who loves and cares about me.

20. I have people to share social events and fun activities with.

21. I am responsible for helping provide for another person’s needs.

22. If I need advice there is someone who would assist me to work out a plan for dealing with the situation.

23. I have a sense of being needed by another person.

24. People think that I’m not as good a friend as I should be.

25. If I got sick, there is someone to give me advice about caring for myself.