title: [Validity of the questionnaire MOS-SSS of social support in neoplastic patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have pointed out how the perception of social support benefits the wellbeing of patients. The main objective in this study is to adapt and validate the MOS-SSS (Medical Outcomes Study-Social Support Survey) questionnaire to measure social support.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a sample of 400 oncology out-patients, in order to validate the MOS-SSS questionnaire, we have applied a exploratory factorial analysis. The factors were extracted by principal components and varimax rotation. Then, we compared the dimensions of the questionnaire with other variables as size of social network, sex and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have observed a high reliability of the MOS-SSS questionnaire, with the alpha coefficient around 0.94 . By a factorial analysis, we have extracted 3 factors: emotional/informational support, affective support and instrumental support. The fourth dimension included in the original questionnaire, positive social interaction, was included in the emotional/informational support dimension. Comparing the mean scores of the 3 dimensions with other variables (number of members in the family and friends, sex and age), we have observed that a high number of relatives and friends were related with a higher perception of social support. However, the men received more instrumental and emotional/informational support than women; and the age was not related with the perception of social support in patients with cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MOS-SSS questionnaire is a valid instrument to assess the multidimensionality of the perception of social support in Spanish cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Psico-Oncología, Hospital Duran i Reynals, Instituto Catalán de Oncología, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. gcosta@ico.scs.es
authors.forename: Gema
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costa Requena
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salamero
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires