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Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)

Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) Test

Understand how supported you feel by family, friends, and key people in your life in about 3 minutes. This 12 item check-in offers a quick, validated snapshot of emotional and practical support.

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Questions: 123 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

29,746 views

2,530 completions

2,158 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

4/7

Friend Support (FS)

Measures how much emotional and practical support a person perceives from friends.

Low support

High support

1 – 3.6: Low support | 3.7 – 7: High support

A score of 4 indicates a generally high perceived level of support from friends.

example score

5/7

Significant Other Support (SOS)

Measures how much supportive involvement a person perceives from significant individuals in their life (e.g., a partner or mentor).

Low support

High support

1 – 3.7: Low support | 3.8 – 7: High support

A score of 5 indicates a generally high level of perceived support from significant others, suggesting you usually feel you can rely on them emotionally and practically.

example score

3/7

Family Support (FS)

Measures how much emotional and practical support a person perceives they receive from family members.

Low

High

1 – 3.9: Low | 4 – 7: High

A score of 3 falls in the Low range, suggesting the person perceives limited support from their family.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Feeling isolated or stressed

41%OF USERS

People who feel lonely, overwhelmed, or unsupported take it to clarify how much help they perceive from family, friends, and a significant other.

In therapy or counseling

34%OF USERS

Clients working with a psychologist use it to quickly map their support network and track changes during treatment or recovery.

Research and clinical screening

25%OF USERS

Students, researchers, and clinicians administer it to assess perceived social support as a factor in wellbeing and crisis risk.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Support from Friends (SfF)

Average

4.3

Normal range

3.5 — 5.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Support from Significant Others (SfSO)

Average

4.9

Normal range

3.7 — 6

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Support from family (Sff)

Average

5.3

Normal range

4.5 — 6.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures perceived social support from family, friends, and a significant other. It focuses on emotional and practical support.

How long does it take to complete?

Completion typically takes about 3 minutes. It includes 12 statements.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best matches the level of agreement with each statement. Answer based on typical experience rather than a single unusual event.

What time period should be considered when answering?

Use the current period and usual relationships as the reference point. If circumstances have recently changed, respond based on what feels most accurate now.

How are results interpreted?

Scores are calculated for each support source and as an overall total, with higher scores indicating greater perceived support. Results describe perceived support and should be interpreted alongside other clinical or research information.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) Test - Symptoms and Signs

social support

This measure assesses an individual’s perceived availability of social support from key sources. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is commonly used to characterize perceived support from family, friends, and a significant other in clinical and research settings.

Developed by Gordon K. Farley, Gregory D. Zimet, Nancy W. Dahlem, and Sara G. Zimet, it consists of 12 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Respondents rate brief statements reflecting subjective support and interpersonal resources.

Scores from the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) can be used to describe overall perceived support and domain-specific support, which may inform case formulation, treatment planning, and monitoring of psychosocial context over time.

Author: Gordon K. Farley, Gregory D. Zimet, Nancy W. Dahlem, Sara G. Zimet

Literature: Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin. 1985.; Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer. 1984.; Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment. 1988.

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