Psychometric properties of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support in a clinic-based sample of African-American adolescent females

BACKGROUND: Research in STD and HIV prevention has examined how distinct sources of support from friends, family, and a significant other influence adolescents' sexual behavior and plays a significant role in adolescents' lives. When conducting research with a specific subgroup, such as inner-city African-American adolescent females, it is important that measures are reliable and valid for that sub-sample. This study examines the reliability and validity of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) among African-American adolescent females. METHODS: This study examined baseline data from a randomized controlled HIV prevention trial. The sample (n=715) was recruited from three sexual health clinics and consisted of African-American adolescent women ages 15 to 21 years. A factor analysis was used to determine if the sub-groups of the MSPSS formed as expected. An item analysis, calculation of Cronbach's alpha, and standard error of measurement was used to assess reliability and an argument-based approach was used in assessing validity. RESULTS: The factor analysis revealed the sub-groups of the MSPSS formed as expected. The item analysis revealed that participants were agreeable on most items and that skewness and kurtosis values were within expected and normal ranges. Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale was high, .897. Validity evidence revealed that the MSPSS was correlated with measures of self-efficacy and communication in the expected directions. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the MSPSS is a reliable measure of perceived social support among African-American adolescent females attending sexual health clinics in a metropolitan city.