Reliability and validity of the Brief 2-Way Social Support Scale: an investigation of social support in promoting older adult well-being

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the relationship between well-being and perceived stress, and the functional dimensions of social support in older adults. METHOD: Data from 306 older adults were obtained in a survey containing the two-way Social Support Scale (2-Way SSS). Also, a subset of the sample (N = 165) was filled out with measures of well-being and perceived stress, and a follow-up survey was completed 3 months later (N = 111). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses and reliability analyses provide evidence for a 12-item Brief 2-Way SSS as a reliable and valid measure of the four domains of Social Support. Correlations and regression analyses indicated the scale displayed good concurrent and predictive validity across time points, with receiving emotional support positively associated with well-being at Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2), and Receiving Instrumental Support negatively associated with perceived stress at TI and T2. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides support for the importance of examining the influence of separable elements of social support on psychological outcomes in older adults. The Brief 2-Way SSS was found to have good psychometric properties in this sample of older adults.