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Background <p>The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is a 12-item psychometric instrument that assesses perceived social support (PSS) with a well-established three-factor structure: family, friends, and significant others. Having a way to measure PSS is important because PSS is only moderately correlated to objective social support.</p> <p>As one of the most widely used and cited measures of PSS, the MSPSS has been translated from English into dozens of languages. However, some authors have been critical of some MSPSS translation and validation studies, particularly when the translation processes do not conduct confirmatory factor analyses or report different numbers of factors when validating the translated instrument.</p> <p>Previously, members of our research team conducted a community-engaged study to develop a culturally-informed translation of the MSPSS into Diné bizaad (Navajo). This study aimed to examine the factor structure and internal reliability of the community-based translation of the MSPSS and a control condition (a basic forward translation) and to provide a descriptive comparison of the results by study arm.</p> Methods <p>We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 1:1 blinded allocation to compare the community-engaged translation of the MSPSS to a control condition. Two-hundred bilingual Navajo/English speakers in La Plata County, CO were randomly assigned to complete one of the two instruments (<i>n</i> = 100 per study arm). We conducted confirmatory factor analysis on each arm separately, using a robust MLR estimator with listwise deletion to compute both absolute and incremental fit indices, and computed Cronbach’s alpha for reliability of each subscale.</p> Results <p>Both translations adequately fit the three-factor structure. While we did not conduct direct statistical comparisons, descriptive comparisons indicated that the forward translation showed better model fit in terms of incremental indices as well as one of the absolute fit indices (SRMR), while the community translation showed two better absolute fit indices (RMSEA and χ<sup>2</sup>/df ratio). Subscale internal consistency ranged from .72 to .78 for the community translation and from .87 to .89 for the forward translation.</p> Conclusions <p>Contrary to our expectations, the fit indices were mixed and did not clearly support one particular translation. We discuss potential reasons for this finding and implications thereof.</p>

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Validation of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) in Diné bizaad (Navajo): randomized comparison of a community translation versus a forward translation

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月4日

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  • Tapati Dutta,
  • Tse’yi’nii I. I. Begay,
  • Jaddah Williams,
  • Gregory Zimet,
  • Johanna Radtke,
  • Stephanie Dickinson,
  • Jon Agley

摘要

Background

The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is a 12-item psychometric instrument that assesses perceived social support (PSS) with a well-established three-factor structure: family, friends, and significant others. Having a way to measure PSS is important because PSS is only moderately correlated to objective social support.

As one of the most widely used and cited measures of PSS, the MSPSS has been translated from English into dozens of languages. However, some authors have been critical of some MSPSS translation and validation studies, particularly when the translation processes do not conduct confirmatory factor analyses or report different numbers of factors when validating the translated instrument.

Previously, members of our research team conducted a community-engaged study to develop a culturally-informed translation of the MSPSS into Diné bizaad (Navajo). This study aimed to examine the factor structure and internal reliability of the community-based translation of the MSPSS and a control condition (a basic forward translation) and to provide a descriptive comparison of the results by study arm.

Methods

We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 1:1 blinded allocation to compare the community-engaged translation of the MSPSS to a control condition. Two-hundred bilingual Navajo/English speakers in La Plata County, CO were randomly assigned to complete one of the two instruments (n = 100 per study arm). We conducted confirmatory factor analysis on each arm separately, using a robust MLR estimator with listwise deletion to compute both absolute and incremental fit indices, and computed Cronbach’s alpha for reliability of each subscale.

Results

Both translations adequately fit the three-factor structure. While we did not conduct direct statistical comparisons, descriptive comparisons indicated that the forward translation showed better model fit in terms of incremental indices as well as one of the absolute fit indices (SRMR), while the community translation showed two better absolute fit indices (RMSEA and χ2/df ratio). Subscale internal consistency ranged from .72 to .78 for the community translation and from .87 to .89 for the forward translation.

Conclusions

Contrary to our expectations, the fit indices were mixed and did not clearly support one particular translation. We discuss potential reasons for this finding and implications thereof.