SIMULTANEOUS ASSESSMENT OF PERCEIVED GLOBAL AND RELATIONSHIP-SPECIFICSUPPORT

Perceived global social support and support from specific relationship s are not synonymous, yet existing measures typically assess only one or the other. However, it might be possible to simultaneously assess b oth using the same instrument. In two studies, the reliability and val idity of scores derived for specific relationship categories from the Social Support Questionnaire were examined. Separate scores were devel oped for mother, father and a composite score for friends. Each score exhibited good internal consistency and correlational analyses reveale d both convergent and discriminant validity for each of the scores. Su pport from friends tended to correlate more strongly with both receive d support and adjustment than did parental support. Support from frien ds and mother, but not father, predicted perceptions of support availa bility. Parental support was more predictive than support from friends of the self-perceived past and present quality of familial relationsh ips. Regression analyses indicated that support from individual relati onships predicted relationship quality and adjustment, even after acco unting for global support.