Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support in patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction: Social support promotes community adaptation of patients with mental illness by facilitating coping and competence. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is a widely used measure of perceived social support that investigates 3 domains of support, from significant other, family, and friends. This study was conducted to provide evidence of the reliability and construct validity of the MSPSS in an adult Asian population with schizophrenia.

Methods: The MSPSS was self-rated by patients with schizophrenia. Reliability was determined using Cronbach α for internal consistency, and preliminary construct was examined using exploratory factor analysis (using principal component with varimax rotation). Four a priori hypothesized models were tested via confirmatory factor analysis: first-order 2-factor (2 models), and first-order and higher order 3-factor models, using 5 goodness-of-fit indices.

Results: Internal reliability was high (Cronbach α of .90, .90, and .91 for support from significant others, family and friends, respectively) for the MSPSS. Exploratory factor analysis on the 12-item measure indicated 3-factor solution that supported the 3 theoretical dimensions of the MSPSS. The indices of goodness of fit confirmed the first-order and higher-order 3-factor confirmatory models of MSPSS by providing the best fit in this sample.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate high internal consistency and construct validity of MSPSS in outpatients with schizophrenia, making it appropriate for assessing the perceived social support in this population.