ΨEmpiralis
MSPSS

MSPSS – Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support

Scientific background →

The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) captures perceived social support — your subjective sense of how much backing is available to you, not the size of your network. It yields an overall average score and three subscales (Significant Other, Family, Friends), each on a scale from 1 to 7.

This questionnaire is a self-exploration tool, not a clinical or diagnostic assessment. If you feel unsupported, lonely, or isolated over a longer period and it's weighing on you, please reach out to a doctor, a licensed therapist, or a counseling service. In the US, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free and available 24/7 (call or text 988).

Important for interpretation

The MSPSS measures how much support you subjectively perceive — not how large your social network actually is or how much others objectively support you. Who the "special person" is is up to you: a partner, a close friend, someone in your family. A low score in one area isn't a verdict on those relationships, but a signal of where backing is currently missing or hard to reach.

12 statements · ~3 min

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