Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL)

Abstract

The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) is a widely used psychological instrument designed to assess an individual’s perceived availability of various functional components of social support. The modified, shorter version (ISEL-12) requires respondents to indicate the extent to which statements describing the availability of support systems in their lives are true or false. This self-report measure focuses on the general perception of available help and resources, rather than support actually received, and does not impose a specific time frame or referent period. The scale is crucial for research demonstrating the link between available social support and positive health outcomes, including reduced mortality and improved psychological state.

Keywords

Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, ISEL, Social Support, Appraisal Support, Belonging Support, Tangible Support, Perceived Support, Psychometrics, Psychological Assessment.

Authors

Sheldon Cohen, Ron Memelstein, Tom Kamarck, H. Hoberman.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the ISEL is to quantitatively assess the perceived availability of four distinct types of social support: appraisal, belonging, self-esteem, and tangible support. While the original 40-item scale measured all four components, the widely utilized ISEL-12 modification focuses primarily on appraisal, belonging, and tangible support.

Research utilizing measures like the ISEL highlights the critical importance of a robust support system. The availability of social support has been empirically linked to significant health benefits, including reduced mortality rates (as noted by Rosenberg et al., 1993) and substantial improvements in overall psychological well-being (Cohen & Wills, 1985).

Construct

The ISEL measures the psychological construct of perceived functional social support. This construct focuses not on the actual receipt of support, but rather the individual’s subjective belief that support is available should they need it. The scale conceptualizes support across specific functional domains.

The four domains originally measured are:

• Appraisal Support: The availability of someone to talk to about personal problems or to seek advice from.
• Belonging Support: The availability of friends or companions for social activities and integration.
• Self-Esteem Support: The availability of positive comparisons or supportive feedback that enhances one’s sense of worth (this sub-scale is typically excluded in the 12-item modified version).
• Tangible Support: The availability of material aid or behavioral assistance (e.g., help with chores, transportation, or financial aid).

Validity

The validity of the ISEL has been established through positive correlations with other scales designed to measure supportive behaviors, such as the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors. This demonstrates strong concurrent validity for the instrument.

Furthermore, the ISEL sub-scales exhibit construct validity by correlating in the anticipated direction with related trait measures. Specifically, the appraisal subscale correlates positively with measures of self-disclosure. The overall scale also shows positive associations with general indicators of social integration, including the reported number of close friends and measures of the quality of intimate relationships, such as the Partner Adjustment Scale.

Reliability

The ISEL demonstrates high internal consistency across various populations, which is quantified using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Reliability estimates vary slightly depending on the population sample examined, but generally indicate strong reliability.

• For samples of undergraduate students, the alpha reliability coefficients typically range between 0.77 and 0.86.
• For samples drawn from the general population, the reliability estimates are notably higher, ranging from 0.88 to 0.90.

These findings suggest that the ISEL is a highly reliable measure for assessing perceived social support, especially when used within adult and general population research.

Factor Analysis

The original ISEL consisted of 40 items and was structured to measure four distinct functional components of social support. The modified version, the ISEL-12, is a shortened form utilizing only three subscales, each comprising four of the highest-loading items from the original instrument.

The self-esteem subscale was intentionally excluded from the ISEL-12 modification because of conceptual and empirical overlap with existing, dedicated measures of self-esteem. The resulting 12-item measure maintains three functional factors: Appraisal, Belonging, and Tangible support, offering a focused and psychometrically sound instrument for researchers.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire, Psychometrics Scale (Modified Version: ISEL-12)

Format: 12 Likert-type items, scored on a 4-point scale where 0 = Definitely False; 1 = Probably False; 2 = Probably True; 3 = Definitely True.

Language Available: English (Original), widely translated.

Population Group: General population (used extensively with undergraduate students and adults).

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults.

Population Details: Used in clinical, community, and academic settings to study stress, coping, and psychological adjustment.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate statements regarding the perceived availability of resources or companionship. Scoring involves summing item responses, with specific items being reverse-coded (Items 1, 2, 7, 8, 11, 12) before aggregation into subscale scores (Appraisal, Belonging, Tangible) and a total score for overall support.

Keywords

Perceived Support, Functional Support, Appraisal, Belonging, Tangible, Psychological Well-being, Stress Buffering, Self-report measure.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The primary reference detailing the functional components was published in 1985. The measure is often used freely for research purposes, although permission should be sought from the original authors (Sheldon Cohen) for clinical or commercial applications. Test Year: 1985 (Primary Conceptualization).

Reference’s

• Cohen, S., Memelstein, R., Kamarck, T., & Hoberman, H. (1985). Measuring the functional components of social support. In I.G. Sarason & B. Sarason (Eds.), Social support: Theory, research and application (pp.73-94). The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.
• Cohen, S. & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310–357.
• Rosenberg, L., Orth-Gomer, K., Wedel, H., & Wilhemsen, L. (1993). Stress, social support, and mortality: A 20-year follow-up of men in Gothenburg, Sweden. European Heart Journal, 14(1), 1618–1624.
• A version of the ISEL-12 items can be reviewed online at: http://www.psy.cmu.edu/~scohen/ISEL12.html

Items of the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.