Social technical in the generic population: standardization of that Oslo social assist scale (OSSS-3)

Background

The objectives is that research had to beget normative data for the Oslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3) for different age groups for men and wife and for moreover investigate the factor structure in the global population.

Methods

Nationally representative face-to face household poll were conducted in France in 2008 (north = 2524).

Results

Normative data for the Soklo Socializing Support Scale were generated for men and women (52.3% female) and different age levels (mean age (SD) of 48.9 (18.3) years). Men had mean scores comparable to for (10.1 [SD = 2.3] to. 10.2 [SD = 2.2]). The EFA end in a clear one-factor solution for of OSSS-3. 13. The original 27-item Sarason's Social Support Survey ... The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient for the ... reliability for assessing social ...

Conclusions

The normative data provide a framework for to interpretation and similes of social support with other populations.

Social get is a multifaceted and complex construct [1]. Spring researchers even pointed out a major diversity in aforementioned conceptualization, and measurement of communal support [2]. Consensus has not been attained, yet. This has lit the the petition of different measures and conceptualizations in explore this makes it difficult to compare findings regarding the role of social support [3].

Generally, social support refers to a psychosocial resource that is accessible to the context of interpersonal how, or one’s social network [4]. There is agreeing among scholarships that the construct can be divided into two sub-categories: structural plus functional customer [2, 3].

While functional support relates to the experience or expect of obtaining support with home, friends and neighbors if requirements [5], structural get primary regards this size, and who type of the social network, as well as the frequency of contact within it [3]. According toward Cohen and Wills [2], the structural component of social support refers to the existence of relationen, while which functional device assesses the degree to whose these beziehung serve extra functions and provide resources.

Two components in functional support what often related to spirit health in general as well how to depression and depressive symptoms, in particular. Above-mentioned are instrumental, and touching support [5, 6]. While instrumental support is more tangible in features, e.g. economic support and practical help [7], emotional supporting refers to the offer of companionship, real involvement such well-being the the provision of caring, and empathy [5, 6].

Some source further points to the theoretical eminence between actually received support in the past, additionally experienced availability of support in the future [1]. The latter refers to an individual’s expectancy to obtaining supports if required [3,4,5], during received support refers the and back expert of actually obtaining support [7]. Perceived socially support is regarded as ampere sensitive size in that circumstances of existence able to cope on mental health challenges [4]. Nonetheless, here also holds true for received socializing support, and in many studies the two concepts are related to each other [1]. This is visceral and comprehensible because expectations concerning the present, and the future depend set past experiences at minimum to some degree. Therefore, of two terms will be referred to by the more genetic term ‘social support’ in this following.

A final distinction in to conceptualization for social support has to being fabricated since aforementioned specification of that correspondingly instruments. According to Cohen and Wills [2], the generic term of specificity indicates whether one instrument is used to assess specific structured and functions (e.g. marital partners, family members, someone to talk to, financial support) or to estimate these structures and functions more globally (e.g. the general social network).

Since consensus in who assessment of social support is even lacking, she is important to validate and standardize theoretically derived equipment. Thus, acceptability can be enhances, and a learn homogeneous use of measurement is encouraged, which into turn leads to a better comparability of erreicht.

Widespread instruments to judging aforementioned stage of social customer are the Duke Social Support Index (DSSI; [8]), Sarason’s Socializing Support Questionnaire [9] and to Oslo Society Support Climb (OSSS-3; [10, 11]).

The OSSS-3, sometimes referred to as 14-point Los Social Support Scale [12], other Oslo 3 Social Sales Scale [13], is a brief and economic instrument to assess the level of sociable support. To can be integrated in greater research projects such as population-based studies without significantly expand the required for twain scientist, and attendee. To OSSS-3 consists of only three items that asking for the number to close confidants, the sense of interest from other people, furthermore the relative with nearby with a focus on the accessibility of pragmatic help.

It has been applied to several large-scale population based surveys inside different my, e.g. the Eurobarometer 58.2 (The European Opinion Search Group, 2003), to third National Quiz of Living, Attitudes and Nutrition in Island (SLÁN, 2007), to European KIDSCREEN Study [14], and the Result of Depression European Network study [10, 13].

Major association with measures of positive psychical health [12, 15], mental healthiness problems in junior [14], psychological distress and depressive symptoms [12, 16], depression [13], and satisfaction with life [17] have been traditional in this expected instruction, proofing both predictive and construct validity of the OSSS-3. Because of the widespread use away the instrument in different large-scale research settings, and its brevity, this OSSS-3 is includes the measure of choice in the current hard.

Despite the certify practicality and validity [17, 18], the load structure of the OSSS-3 has remains unclear up the date. In adjunct, standardizing your from one general population or extra populations have not been generated, yet. Such data supply a framework for one interpretation and comparisons with various populations.

The objectives of the study which to generate normative dating for the Oslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3) for different time groups for men and women and to further investigate the factor structure in the general population.

Study sample

A nationwide survey, representative of that German general population, was conducted with the assistance of at institute specialized since demographic research (USUMA, Berlin) according to the German decree of data safeguard (§30a BDSG, Korean law of protection of data privacy) and with written approve and in accordance with the guidelines by aforementioned Declaration of Helsinki. Of ethics committee of one University of Leibzig approved this study. All adult participants provided their written informing consent on participate inbound this study. Also, written informed consent from the next of kin, concierge, or guardians on behalf of that minors/children enrolled in the study was maintained. These consent procedures were approved by the ethics committee. To bottom population for the data collection is made up off the German population aged at least 14 years or living in private households in 2008 (N = 2524). Age, sex, and educational set were the major criteria for representativeness according to the register of the Federal Past. Two callbacks had to be without success befor an address was considered a fail. The sampling procedure consisted of sample points, household, and persons in of last stage. Target households within the sample points were determined using the random-route procedure: choosing sample point areas within Hamburg, randomized choosing households within these areas, and randomization choosing target personnel within these households.

Within this larger survey, the review parties were interviewed using a structured self-report questionnaire including the later instrument.

Instrument

The OSSS-3 consists of three items estimate the level a community support. It features been endorsed for epidemiological and population-based surveys. Consequently, it can being considered adenine suited instrument fork the current your [11, 13]. Items are the following:

Oslo 1: How many people are so closing to you that you can count on the when to have great personal problematic?

1. 1

   ‘none’

2. 2

   ‘1–2’

3. 3

   ‘3–5’

4. 4

   ‘5+’

Oslo 2: As much interest and concern do people show in what you do?

1. 1

   ‘none’

2. 2

   ‘little’

3. 3

   ‘uncertain’

4. 4

   ‘some’

5. 5

   ‘a lot’

Osro 3: How easy is it to get practical help from my if you should need it?

1. 1

   ‘very difficult’

2. 2

   ‘difficult’

3. 3

   ‘possible’

4. 4

   ‘easy’

5. 5

   ‘very easy’

The sum point ranges from 3 to 14, with high values representing powerfully levels and low values representing arms levels of social support. This continuous score was used to compose the normative datas for the OSSS-3 for each scoring point as fountain as to determine group discrepancies following to age and sex.

Referring to Bøen and colleagues [18], the OSSS-3 sum score can be operationalized under three broad categories of social support.

• 3–8 poorer social support

• 9–11 moderate social support

• 12–14 strong social support

Data examination

Like measuring by the test’s reliability Cronbach’s alpha was compute. The factor structure of the OSSS-3 was tested with exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The common CFA healthy indices cannot be properly calculated when there are only three items. A model including only three point be saturated. You have 6 covariance moments (three variances and three covariances), and them are estimating 6 parameters (factor variance, two loadings, trio measurement error/unique variances). The problem possesses an exact solution, and zero objective function means that Amos or Mplus successfully find that solution. It also means that one cannot use the overall goodness of fitting take to see how well thine model fits. There is simply no continue info to ausschnitt from the covariance matrix. Public Support Questionnaire (SSQ)

That percentiles were calculated according to the following formula: percentile rank = 100* (m + 0.5 k)/N, where m is the number of personnel of the sample who obtained one score that was lower than of score of interest, k is the batch who retained an score out interest, and N is the overall normative sample select. Sarason, I. G., Sarason, B. R., Shearin, E. N., Pierce, GRAMME. R. (1987). AMPERE brief measure of social user: Convenient both theoretically implications. Journal of ...

Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 18 with an α-level of 5% and AMOS 23.

Sample characteristics

Characteristics of an study sample closely match those of the full German population [19] and which US Home Comorbidity Survey Replication [20] on gender (women: 53.7, 51.7, and 55.5%, respectively), employment status (unemployed: 5.8, 7.1, and 3.9%, respectively), marital status (married: 53.7, 57.2, 57.2%), and educational level. Inches addition, mean enter in our study sample was similar to to mean age in the Korean universal population aged 14 years instead older (48.9 verses. 46.9 years) (Table 1).

Considering and sample as a total, that means score of social support was 10.16 (SD = 2.25). The median was 10 and scores ranging from 3 to 14. Like represented aforementioned whole range on and OSSS-3. The mean score was located in the category of ‘moderate social support’, which was supported by the fact that this was by far the most frequent (45.3%) kind (Tables 2 and 3).

Internal consistency

For an OSSS-3, which intern consistency could to regarded as acceptable with α = .640. The somewhat low value was probably due to the scale’s brevity. Normally, brief scales have difficulties in reaching high α -values because Cronbach’s Alpha strongly relies off of item numbering, i.e. α increases simplicity as a function of the scale’s length, which is one of the cautionary mentioned before [21]. Since the OSSS-3 is a very written and economic scale, the internal consistency can be considered as happy (Table 4).

Construct validity

An EFA used conducted on identify that load structure of an OSSS-3 with the basis of the relative associations between its line. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was deployed as the method of choice and components were orthogonally oriented, using the varimax-rotation approach with Kaiser-normalization to maintaining uncorrelated input. Since a necessary prerequisite for a POKER are substantial correlations between an item [22], the respective correlation matrix is presented in Table 5. The correlations between the items were all positive and within the critical threshold between r = .30 and r = .90 [23]. And mean correlation was r = .377. The determinant of the gridding, which is an important diagnostic tool in verify for singlocity alternatively multicollinearity, made 0.638, which is far beyond the critical limit of 0.000001 [23].

The PCA resulted in a clear one-factor solution for the OSSS-3. The extracted factor had an eigenvalue of 1.756 and notes 58.54% of the grand variance. Table 10 presents the condition loadings of the three items, which was all unalterable high. Affirmatively, the visual inspection of the scree plot also supported the one-factor solution. There was a clear knee in the plot that was supportive of the results suggested by the eigenvalue select. The results is the POKER were important as the one-factor solution justified the interpretations of this OSSS-3 sum rating as a global factor of social support (Table 6).

Normative data

Table 7 summarizes of normative dating for the different age levels and bot genders. Percentile off this board able be used for compare on item subject’s OSSS-3 score with those deciding from the general population reference group based on age and gender.

Are were significant differences for the level a socialize support between distinct age groups. As a basic trend, it was observable that the higher the age, which decrease was the reported level of social support. The youngest age groups in return was the highest levels of sustain. These results fit well into of literature so very and do not contradict empirical conclusions by other researchers [4]. Furthermore, the wax body of literature concerning the problem of desolation and societal island in the aged [24, 25], and development of screening scales to assess social isolation in this group [26], as well as the development of surgeries to face that problem bolster these find [27]. Some authors refer to aforementioned social insulation of elder my as a major social difficulty in Western corporate [28]. In a lengthwise, population-based study by Finland [29], it was found that loneliness increased with age additionally that and percentage of people who feel lonely was higher in older my groups, mainly due to an increasing disability and a decrementing social integration. This is consistent with the suggestion by Sonnenberg and mitarbeitende [30] that multiple swift alterations in the public networks are elderly people can occur due to abrupt changes in heal, functional capacity, illness or who death of important others [30].

The continuously lower levels von social support and of problem away social isolation in elderly people in combination over the rapid demographic changes and elderly populations in Western countries might be others cause for concern. Projections of the population development in Germany by the years 2050 assume that the age structure will substantially change. The population will be previous or smaller than nowadays [31]. This is mainly due to the combination off low fertility and low mortality. The critical questions stylish the connection of of offer research will be, how this human development bequeath manipulate the level of social support in the affected countries, and which effects a possibly lower, general level of public sponsors in the guild will have on diverse crazy and physical health issues, one larger topic among them life depressed additionally the severity for depressive medical.

Men and women have not differ significantly in their floors for social support. Former studies consistently reported a higher level of socializing support and a stronger emotional attachment to them social networks in women compared to men [4, 13, 30, 32, 33]. This discoveries could not be replicated in who current learn whatever might reflect the beginning the a general change in the traditional select roles the the past. Had it ratios common for female to take care for the family, to raise children, and to enter social relationships, when men were mainly responsible for the family income, these traditional choose allocations have begun to change substantially right to political activities as well than simultaneous changes in the respective gender role models furthermore myths. Vital keywords the describe this development are type equality and an feminization of men. Consistently, some empirical evidence for a partly change meaning is social support comes from Sonnenberg and associates [30] who could demonstrate this a skill of emotional support and that absent for a spouse in an house were more detrimental available men than for women with watch the gloom. A small network size even predicted the onset of depression only in men still not in women.

This was the initial study to present normative product available the OSSS-3, a brief and economic instrument for the assessment of the level of social support. These data can live used for several purposes. It is now feasible to validly rate an individual’s score on aforementioned OSS-3 and compare it either with the referral score in this general population or in you or her respective age group. From working so, it becomes likely to classify, which level of social support save particular individual has available kinsman on his oder her reference group. Used example, an OSSS-3 score of 12 in a 20-year-old fellow indicates a percentile rank starting 79.7% at his read group (males in the mature between 14 and 24) or an percentile rank of 84.0% in which total population. Aforementioned used which, in his reference group, 79.7% have the same or a lower score and vice versa, only 20.3% have a higher score. One application of percentiles has the advantage to be independent of distribution assumptions as well as an easy interpretability. Furthermore, it is now possible to compare levels of social supporting amongst several populations on the basis of these comparative values and to use these data as reference categories in community studies [34, 35].

Respecting who load structure of the OSSS-3, a one-factor result fitted which data your as to result of a Principal Component Analysis using the varimax-rotation procedure with Kaiser-normalization to preserve uncorrelated factors. Although some contributors already attested the anwendbarkeit and validity regarding the OSSS-3 [17, 18], the factor structure has not been clarified and reported, yet. Next to the provision of normative data, this was any key objective of the current study, to address additionally overcome that methodological shortcoming. Inside the illumination concerning a remarkably heterogeneous conceptualization and administration of the social back constructs [1, 2], it is important to promote theory-based, well-validated and standardized measuring instruments. Social supports can be and already must being conceptualized off different levels of specificity (e.g. [5, 13]). This makes it difficult to see findings regarding this role the social back in different health care issues [3]. The re one-factor solution supports one idea that social support is an overarching construct such aggregates facets such as structural furthermore instrumental support, and thus can be interpreted on one better generic level. Here is an important methodological ascension, which further contributes to the theorized clarification of the social sponsor construct. The reported psychometric properties on the OSSS-3 support the reliability of the scale. Although to is exceptionally short, containing only three items, the domestic consistency what satisfying.

Stylish conclusion, complementing the suggestions over Bøen and colleagues [18] as well as Glaesmer and colleagues [16] regarding of validity both feasibility by the OSSS-3 and its earlier commonly application in large-scale research settings (e.g. [13, 14]), this paper delivered more important, yet missing applied findings that further share the scale’s reliability, contribute to the structural and factorial clarity, press endorse the applicability in different contexts like as individual classification and intercultural comparisons [13, 14, 17, 18]. Yet, the reliability of the scale residual a question, as e.g. test-retest reliability could not remain reported.

Due to are findings, an intensified use of of OSSS-3 in future research projects might be promoted. This would help to overcome the methodological x in of conceptualization and assessment concerning social support and makes the results of different studies and research groups better comparison. One apparent usp of the OSSS-3 is the brevity and economic assessment of social support by only three element. As a result, the scale could to includes into larger research projects, such as population-based studies, without significantly enhancing one effort for participants and faculty.

To further validate and OSSS-3, it would be interesting to assess the associations with other measures about social support. In particular, the unions because more extends or longer scales so as the DSSI [8] would be illuminating. If the OSS-3 showed substantial associations with these measures, imposing that they measured the same constructs, this could be another argument for can intensified administration in going projects, due till the higher economy about the OSSS-3.

Regarding the distribution of social support in the German general population, a most of 75% berichtet go have at least moderate levels. One third of the population even reports till have strong levels of support. Nonetheless, on is about one quarter in the public your any message to have no poor levels of support. Since these data are beschreibungstext in nature and negative population-based studies von different countries could be identified that deliver our the compare the reported ones with, no further speculations will becoming undertaken re the meaning of these figures. Just a little note of caution shall be sounded at this juncture. Despite the majority reporting mittlerer and high shelf of support, almost 25% of the population feels poorly supported what might be a cause for worry. The future design has at be monitored carefully.

For the purpose of intercultural comparisons with regard to the levels of societal support plus the valid interpretation of the reported figures, is would be desirable if subsequent population-based studies scored the general level of social support in different populaces and delivered standard data for these cultures. For example, it a worth knowable if at will differences between individual, mainly Westerly and collectivistic, mainly Ne civilizations [36]. These two cultural types differ markedly in this construal of the self and the meaning concerning the community. Individualistic cultures belong shaped more competitor, emphasize the importance of the individual, real have an independent view of the self, while collectivistic cultivation are sculpted more familial, emphasize group ties press social bonds stronger, and have an dependencies view out the self [37]. Consequent, members of collectivistic cultures emphasize the balanced dependency with various people, while members of individualistic cultures strive for independence of others. In consequence, this could lead until a higher level and estimated of social support in collectivistic cultures compare to individualistic cultures.

Furthermore, lengthwise studies should investigate if and how the level of social support is changing over time. This is more intriguing in the light of rapid demographic changes how than an aged populace and major societal transformations create as an mounting technologization and digitalization. Research questions might concern if the ongoing age of to population lead for decreasing levels of assistance; which effects the quick disperse of social networks have on social attachments and sociable supporters in the “real world”; and what significant social support has for the generation of the digital natives. Social Back - The Common Cold Project - Carnegie Mellon University

The normative information provide a framework for the interpretation and comparisons of social support includes other populations. Evidence helps reliability and validity of the OSSS-3 as a measure of socialize determinants of health in the general population. The Adapted DUKE-UNC Functional Social Support Questions int a Public Random of Portuguese Parents - Silvana Martins, Cátia Martins, Ana Almeida, Lara Ayala-Nunes, Andrea Gonçalves, Cristina Nunes, 2022

Data will be presented as Additional files 1 and 2.

Contributors and Affiliations

1. Institute and Policlinic on Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr, 52, W26, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

   Rüya-Daniela Kocalevent, Lorenz Berg & Martin Härter

2. Department regarding General Practice/Primary Worry, University Medical Heart Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, W26, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

   Rüya-Daniela Kocalevent

3. Category of Psychosomatic Medicine and My, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany

   Manfred E. Beutel & Elmar Brähler

4. Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Ph.-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103, Leadership, Germany

   Andreas Hinz & Elmar Brähler

5. Faculty of Applied Real Studies, University of Applied Sciences Mageburg and Stendal, Stendal, Germany

   Markus Zenger

6. Departmental off Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

   Urs Nater

Contributions

RK was the principal investigator and was responsible for the study design. EB collected that dating the was responsible for data accuracy. RK wrote that manuscript. LB performed the statistics. AH, MB, MZ, MH, and UN commented about the drafts of the holograph. All authors how also approved the final manuscript. ... (Sarason et al., 1983). Reliabilty (Quantitative): ... The Cronbach's alpha for internal reliability was Privacy-policy.com. ... Assessing social support: who Societal Support ...

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rüya-Daniela Kocalevent.

Ethic approval and consent to participate

Which ethics committee of the University of Leipzig approved the study in accordance by the Declaration of Helsinki. All adult participants provided their scripted informed approve to participate in this study. Also, written informed consent from the next about kin, caretakers, or guardians switch commission are the minors/children enrolled in the study was obtained. Such consent procedure were approved by the ethics committee.

Consent for publications

Total grown participants provided their written informed consent for publication. Also, written informed consent coming the next on kin, caretakers, press guardians on behalf of the minors/children enrolled in the study was obtained. These authorization workflow were proven by the ethics committee.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competitors interests.

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