Validation of the Malay version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS-M) among patients with cancer in Malaysia

• Main Authors: Song, Wenjun, Mansor, Nor Shuhada, Shari, Nurul Izzah, Azman, Nizuwan, Zhang, Ruiling, Abdullah, Mohammad Farris Iman Leong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science 2023
• Subjects: H Social Sciences (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/106415/1/NurulIzzahShari2023_ValidationoftheMalayVersionoftheMultidimensional.pdf; http://eprints.utm.my/106415/; http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293698

Background The well-being and adaptive functioning of patients with cancer depend on their perception of social support. To accurately assess and understand the impact of social support in a diverse population, validated measurement tools are essential. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Malay version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS-M) among patients with cancer in Malaysia. Methods A total of 346 cancer patients with mixed disease types were recruited and completed the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire and the MSPSS-M. The MSPSS-M was assessed for internal consistency, construct validity, face, content, convergent, discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analyses. Results The MSPSS-M and its three domains demonstrated good internal consistency with Cronbach's α ranging from 0.900 to 0.932. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the MSPSS-M supported the three-factor model of the original English version of the MSPSS. The MSPSS-M also exhibited good convergent validity and discriminant validity. Conclusion The MSPSS-M demonstrates favorable psychometric properties among patients with cancer in Malaysia. The validation of the MSPSS-M provides a culturally adapted and linguistically valid instrument to assess perceived social support among Malay-speaking patients with cancer in Malaysia.