A confirmatory factor analysis of situation-specific Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire items.
BACKGROUND
Situation-specific social support, measured by comparably worded Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (NSSQ) items, holds promise in the development of context-specific theories at the practice level. However, psychometric work on situation-specific NSSQ items is lacking.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to explore the statistical parameters of situation-specific NSSQ items (affect, affirmation, and aid).


METHODS
Using data (N = 154) collected for a larger study, the parameters of three LISREL models were estimated by the generally weighted least squares method using an asymptotic covariance matrix.


RESULTS
The modified two-factor model was accepted (chi2 = 11.54, df = 7, p < or = .12). Overall, parameter estimates suggest that, in this research context, two situation-specific items (affirmation and aid) measure unique dimensions of social support.


CONCLUSIONS
In this instance, situation-specific affirmation and aid items measure unique dimensions of support. Guided by strong theory, investigators should develop situation-specific items based on the original NSSQ items.
Gigliotti
Eileen
E
Department of Nursing, College of Staten Island, City University of New York, Staten Island, New York 10314, USA. gigliotti@mail.csi.cuny.edu
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009518:New York; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012944:Social Support; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014495:Universities