Validity and Reliability of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support in Colombian Adolescents

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) in Colombian adolescents. We conduct a cross-sectional study and recruit 766 adolescents from 14 to 18 years old. The internal consistency of the scale was analyzed and model fit from confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The internal consistency of the scale was .84 (95% CI = 0.83-0.86), with small to negligible changes when specific items were dropped. Construct validity was confirmed by the goodness of fit of a Three-Factor Model and correlation between items 3-4, 1-2, 6-7, and 5-6, AGFI = 31,680.98, BIC = 31,824.74, NNFI = .946, CFI = .975, and RMSEA = .049, confirming the model structure proposed by Zimet and colleagues. The findings demonstrate that the MSPSS is a suitable instrument to evaluate perceived social support in Colombian adolescents.

Keywords

• Perceived social support
• Psychometric properties
• Factor analysis
• Internal consistency