title: Factorial validity and reliability of the Tamil version of multidimensional scale of perceived social support among a group of participants in university malaya medical centre, malaysia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was done to validate the Tamil version of Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS-TV) among a group of Indian participants in University Malaya.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-four people who took part in this study were given MSPSS-TV, Medical Outcome Study (MOS) social support survey, Malay version of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Malay version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and English version of MSPSS. After a week, these participants were again required to complete the MSPSS-TV, but with the item sequences shuffled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Internal consistency of this scale was excellent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.924), and both test-retest reliability (0.71) and parallel form reliability (0.92) were high (Spearman's rho, P<0.01). MSPSS-TV was negatively correlated with GHQ and BDI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MSPSS-TV demonstrated sound psychometric properties in gauging the social support among a group of participants. It could therefore be used as a simple screening tool among the young educated Malaysians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ng Chong
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Abdul Rasyid
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Newcastle University of Medicine Malaysia, Nusajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Loh Huai
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Seng
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Anne Yee Hway
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Ann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Suzaily
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wahab
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Subash Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pillai
keywords: Perceived social support; Tamil version; psychometric properties; reliability; validity