THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL NATURE OF RECEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT IN GAY MEN AT RISK OF HIV-INFECTION AND AIDS

This article concerns received social support in gay men at risk of HI V and AIDS. Distinctions are made between three types of support (info rmational, tangible, emotional), four sources of support (friends, rel atives, partner, organizations), and three dimensions of support (amou nt, satisfaction, reciprocity). A 24-item inventory reflecting these d istinctions was administered to a sample of 587 gay men at two points in time. The psychometric properties of the instrument were determined , and the factor structure of the items varying sources and types of s ocial support support were tested. This was done by exploratory as wel l as by confirmatory factor analyses. The hypothesized structure was c onfirmed in both waves separately. Results corroborated the assumption that enacted or received social support is a highly differentiated co nstruct and requires assessment tools that are designed according. Des criptive results on the support perceptions in this sample are also pr esented. Implications for the study of support in men at risk of HIV a nd AIDS are discussed.