Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS)
Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS) used in psychology are essential tools for clinical and research assessments. This post is based on dissertations submitted by students during their academic programs. At ‘Mental Health,’ we arrange and provide these resources to you. Here is the complete list of resources (Click Here). To access these materials, click on the ‘Avail File’ section below.”
Table of Contents
About Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS)
The Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS) are a collection of self-report measures developed to assess various dimensions of social support. Created by Schulz and Schwarzer in 2003, the scales are primarily used in the context of health psychology to explore the role of social support in coping with illness and stress.
Purpose of the Tool
The BSSS serves the following purposes:
- Evaluating different facets of social support, such as perceived and received support, the need for support, and supportive behaviors.
- Assessing how social support influences individuals’ ability to cope with stress, particularly in health-related contexts.
- Providing researchers and clinicians with a tool to examine the protective effects of social support against psychological and physical stressors.
Description of Tool
Social support has long been recognized as a critical factor in promoting well-being and helping individuals manage stressful situations. The BSSS was developed to address the need for a comprehensive and psychometrically sound instrument that measures multiple dimensions of social support. The scales are particularly valuable in exploring the relationship between social support and health outcomes.
The BSSS consists of five subscales, each measuring a different aspect of social support:
- Perceived Support: Evaluates the extent to which individuals believe they have access to social support when needed.
- Received Support: Assesses the actual supportive behaviors received from others.
- Need for Support: Measures the individual’s need for social support.
- Supportive Behaviors: Examines the frequency and type of support provided by the individual to others.
- Protective Buffering: Assesses the extent to which individuals shield others from stress to maintain harmony.
Each subscale includes items rated on a Likert scale, with higher scores indicating greater levels of the measured dimension.
Psychometric Properties
- Reliability: The BSSS demonstrates excellent internal consistency across its subscales, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging between 0.70 and 0.90.
- Validity: The tool has strong construct and criterion validity, supported by its correlations with related constructs such as emotional well-being, stress levels, and coping behaviors.
- Factor Structure: The scales are multidimensional, reflecting distinct yet interrelated facets of social support.
Age Group
The BSSS is designed for use with individuals aged 18 years and older. It is widely used in adult populations, particularly those dealing with chronic illnesses or other stress-inducing circumstances.
References
- Schulz, U., & Schwarzer, R. (2003). Soziale Unterstützung bei der Krankheitsbewältigung. Die Berliner Social Support Skalen (BSSS) [Social support in coping with illness: The Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS)]. Diagnostica, 49, 73–82.
- Schwarzer, R., & Schulz, U. (n.d.). Social Support in Coping with Illness. Retrieved from FU Berlin.
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