Marital Perceived Social Support
Title
Marital Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL)
Study
PMBC
Copyright Information
Copyright is owned by Dr. Cohen
Primary Reference
Cohen, S., Mermelstein, R., Kamarck, T., & Hoberman, H. (1985). Measuring the functional components of social support. In I.G. Sarason & B. Sarason (Eds.), Social support: Theory, research and applications (pp.73-94). The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.
Purpose
To assess the perceived availability of appraisal social support from the participant’s spouse.
Type of Measure
This is a modification of the original ISEL developed for this study. The original scale consists of 40 items (ten items in each of the four sub-scales, measuring separate aspects of social support). The modified version includes only the subscale representing appraisal support. Also, while the original scale considers support available from the participant’s entire social network, this measure evaluates only the perceived availability of support from the participant’s spouse.
Description
Participants indicate the extent to which sentences describing availability of appraisal social support in their lives are true or false. No time frame or referent period is used.
Scaling
0 = Definitely False, 1 = Probably False, 2 = Probably True, 3= Definitely True
Number of Items
10
Sample Items
- I trust my spouse to help solve my problems.
- If a family crisis arose, my spouse could not give me good advice about how to handle it. (reversed)
Psychometrics
Reliability in PMBC: alpha=0.86
Scoring/Variables
Reversed Items: 2,4,9
Marital Appraisal Support Total Score: Sum items: 1, 2R, 3, 4R, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9R