2.2.4. The Multidimensional Scale of perceived social support (MSPSS;Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988)

The MSPSS is a 12–item self-report measure that assesses preceived social support. The MSPSS has three factors that include family, friends, and significant others. Responses are based on the following 7-point Likert-style scoring: 1 (very strongly disagree) to 7 (very strongly agree). Higher scores indicate higher levels of perceived social support. The MSPSS possesses good psychometric properties in various studies (e.g., Pedersen et al., 2009, Stewart et al., 2014). Also, Salami and colleagues (2009) reported Cronbach's alpha of over 0.80 in the Persian version in all three subscales (friends, family, and significant other).