SUBJECTIVE PERCEPTION OF SOCIAL SUPPORT I N THE POPULATION

The ISEL scale (Interpersonal Support Evaluation List) has been develo ped to assess social support. Despite good reliability and validity of the original scale the German version has been rarely applied. Thus, perceived social support as measured by the ISEL scale was studied in a general population sample of Tyrol/Austria (n = 216). The reliabilit y of the German ISEL version is as high as the original version. Our r esults showed chat sociodemographic variables significantly influence scale scores: Males and rural subjects indicated more tangible support than females and urban subjects, respectively. Elder people (50-70 ye ars) reported the lowest scale scores, except in tangible support. Wit h the exception of tangible support, significant socioeconomic status differences were found in all dimensions of social support. However, t he middle classes showed less social support than upper and lower clas s subjects. Income only increased tangible support, as higher educatio nal degrees did with self-esteem support. Marital status showed no inf luence on scale scores, whereas unemployment decreased tangible and be longing support, Our results can be used as preliminary German languag e norm data for evaluating social support in epidemiological and clini cal studies.