Measurement Invariance of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Among Chinese and South Asian Ethnic Minority Adolescents in Hong Kong

Seven hundred adolescents (Chinese = 50%; South Asian ethnic minority = 50%) with mean age of 15.3 years (SD = 1.53). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess measurement invariance of the MSPSS scale across Chinese and South Asian ethnic minority samples. Results show that the original three-factor structure of the MSPSS was supported in both samples. Measurement invariance was supported in terms of configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance. Given partial scalar invariance was achieved, the latent mean differences were compared across samples. Chinese adolescents had higher levels of all three types of social support when compared with their South Asian ethnic minority counterparts. The present study attempts to assess the measurement invariance of the MSPSS across ethnic groups in Asian society, which sheds light on future research that involves perceived social support among adolescents in Chinese culture contexts.