Validity and reliability of single-item self-report measures of social support
Authors: Paweł Andrzej Atroszko, Luiza Pianka, Aleksandra Raczyńska, Michalina Sęktas, Bartosz Atroszko
Abstract: Social support is one of the most important variables in the study of wellbeing and psychosocial functioning. The role of social support is recognized also in public health studies, as it is one of the significant predictors of health outcomes. For that reason measurement of social support is indispensable in any research related to health or wellbeing. These studies are often large surveys, frequently with repeated measurements. Therefore, valid and easily applied measures are required. Self-report questionnaires of social support are often lengthy. This may cause a significant burden to study participants and a threat to the validity of measurement due to fatigue effects. To overcome these difficulties validity and reliability of single-item, self-report measures of satisfaction with personal relationships and satisfaction with support from friends were examined in a sample of 1451 university students. These two measures were administered in a subsample of 135 students on two occasions with three weeks interval between them. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for test-retest reliability were satisfying, .80 for satisfaction with personal relationships, and .64 for satisfaction with support of friends. Both measures related in predictable ways to perceived stress, depressiveness, anxiety, loneliness and searching for emotional and instrumental social support. The study provides evidence for the validity and reliability of these single-item measures. These scales are potentially convenient measures of social support in large surveys.
Publ: Proceedings of the 4th CER Comparative European Research Conference – International Scientific Conference for PhD Students of EU Countries, Londyn: Sciemcee Publishing