Sources of Social Support Scale (SSSS)

Abstract

The Sources of Social Support Scale (SSSS) is a specialized instrument developed by Charles S. Carver to assess the multifaceted nature of social support received by individuals coping with serious medical conditions, such as cancer. Developed within the context of research on a multi-modal cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention, the SSSS distinguishes between various sources of support—including partners, family members, friends, and health care providers—and simultaneously measures both positive and negative aspects of support interaction. The scale addresses limitations in existing measures by offering a detailed differentiation of these variables, proving valuable in longitudinal studies of patient adjustment and psychosocial well-being.

Keywords

Sources of Social Support Scale, SSSS, Social support, Positive support, Negative support, Cancer patients, Breast cancer, Psychosocial well-being, Stress management, Longitudinal studies, Coping, Charles S. Carver.

Authors

Carver, C. S.

[quads id=5]

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Sources of Social Support Scale (SSSS) is to provide a comprehensive and nuanced assessment of the specific types and origins of social support received by individuals, particularly those navigating challenging health contexts. It aims to move beyond global measures of support by isolating the impact of specific sources (e.g., partner vs. friends) on psychological and physical outcomes.

Furthermore, the SSSS is designed to differentiate between supportive behaviors (e.g., emotional reassurance, practical assistance) and potentially detrimental or negative behaviors (e.g., criticism, arguing, withdrawal). This focus allows researchers to test the hypothesis that negative social support interactions may exert a stronger influence on well-being than positive interactions.

Construct

The SSSS measures the construct of Multidimensional Social Support, operationalized across two key dimensions: the source of the support and the valence/type of the support provided. The scale posits that social support is not a monolithic entity but varies significantly depending on who provides it (Source Differentiation) and what form it takes (Type Differentiation).

The instrument covers five distinct sources: husband/partner, adult women in the family, other family members, friends, and health care providers. For each source, the scale assesses specific behaviors, including instrumental support (assistance, advice), emotional support (reassurance, listening, affection), and negative support (arguing, criticism, withdrawal, letting down).

Validity

Specific validity evidence, including construct validity and predictive validity, is established through its application in longitudinal studies of breast and prostate cancer patients. The development of the scale was driven by a necessity to capture differentiated aspects of support that existing, broader measures failed to adequately address.

The primary psychometric validation of the SSSS, concerning perceived partner support and its relationship to psychosexual adjustment in women with breast cancer, is detailed in Kinsinger, Carver, Antoni, & Laurenceau (2011). This research provides critical empirical evidence supporting the scale’s utility in measuring distinct support components relevant to adjustment outcomes.

Reliability

While explicit reliability coefficients (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) are not provided in the source background content, the psychometric rigor of the SSSS is documented in the referenced academic literature. Researchers utilizing the scale are directed to the 2011 publication by Kinsinger et al. for detailed information regarding internal consistency and other reliability indicators established during the scale’s validation and application in clinical research settings.

Factor Analysis

Detailed factor analysis results, which would typically confirm the separation of positive and negative support dimensions across different sources, are contained within the primary psychometric reference. The structure of the SSSS—which asks the same set of questions (covering advice, assistance, emotional support, and negative interactions) for five distinct sources—suggests an inherent structure designed to measure several orthogonal or correlated factors related to support type (positive vs. negative) and support origin.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Psychological Scale

Format: 5-point Likert Scale, ranging from 1 (Not at all) to 5 (A lot).

Language Available: English (Original version).

Population Group: Clinical populations undergoing stress management interventions.

Age Group: Adults (specifically used with cancer patients).

Population Details: Initially developed and validated using patients diagnosed with breast cancer and later applied to individuals with prostate cancer, although it is applicable to various health contexts requiring significant social support.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate the frequency or amount of specific supportive or unsupportive behaviors received from various identified sources (e.g., partner, family, friends) relating to their illness.

Keywords

Psychosocial adjustment, Partner support, Emotional support, Instrumental support, Health care providers, Measurement tool, Psychometrics, Charles S. Carver, Cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention, Scale development.

[quads id=5]

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Information not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Information not provided in source content. Author C. S. Carver is affiliated with the University of Miami.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Sources of Social Support Scale (SSSS) was developed around 2006. For permission and usage inquiries, researchers should contact the author, Charles S. Carver. The scale and related documentation are often made available through the author’s academic website.

The key reference providing direct access to the scale items and instructions is: Carver, C. S. (2006). Sources of Social Support Scale.

Reference’s

Carver, C. S. (2006). Sources of Social Support Scale. Available online at: https://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/ccarver/sclSSSS.html

Kinsinger, S. W., Carver, C. S., Antoni, M. H., & Laurenceau, J-P. (2011). Perceived partner support and psychosexual adjustment to breast cancer. Psychology and Health, 26, 1571-1588.

[quads id=5]

Items of the Sources of Social Support Scale (SSSS)

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

Here are the instructions for the SSSS, and the items as they would be applied to husband/partner.

These items concern the kinds of help and support you get from various people regarding your illness. The items ask about several different sets of people, but apply the same questions to each. Use the following choices for these items:

• 1 = Not at all
• 2 = A little
• 3 = A moderate amount
• 4 = A pretty large amount
• 5 = A lot

A. The first items concern your husband/partner. [If you do not have a husband/partner, leave these items blank and skip to section B].

1. How much does your husband/partner give you advice or information about your breast cancer (whether you want it or not)?
2. How much does your husband/partner give you assistance with things related to your breast cancer (for example, helping you with daily chores, driving you places, dealing with bills and paperwork)?
3. How much does your husband/partner give you reassurance, encouragement, and emotional support (affection) concerning your breast cancer?
4. How much does your husband/partner listen to and try to understand your worries about your breast cancer?
5. How much can you relax and be yourself around your husband/partner?
6. How much can you open up to your husband/partner if you need to talk about your worries about your cancer?
7. How often does your husband/partner argue with you relating to your cancer?
8. How often does your husband/partner criticize you relating to your cancer?
9. How often does your husband/partner let you down when you are counting on him?
10. How often does your husband/partner withdraw from discussions about your illness or try to change the topic away from your illness?

B. The next items concern adult women in your family (sisters, mother, aunts or adult daughters). [If you do not have adult women in your family, leave these items blank and skip to section C].

Subsequent sections in this particular application are other family members, friends, and health care providers.