MEASURING SOCIAL SUPPORT - AN INTERRATER RELIABILITY STUDY OF 18 PATIENTS WITH BREAST-CANCER ASSESSED WITH A SHORTENED VERSION OF THE SELF-EVALUATION AND SOCIAL SUPPORT (SESS) SCHEDULE

The Bedford College Self-Evaluation and Social Support (SESS) schedule is an extensive interview that assesses the protective role of social support from close relationships concerning the risk of psychiatric d isorders after major stressors. We present the results of an interrate r reliability study with a shortened Norwegian version (SESSsv) applie d to 18 women with breast cancer. There was very good accordance betwe en two raters with an ICC 1.1 of 0.80-0.93 for confiding behavior, act ive emotional support, and practical help. There was 89-94% agreement in assessing the seldom-reported negative interactions. We conclude th at the SESSsv is a helpful, reliable, and easy-to-use way of assessing the qualitative content of a patient's close relationships. A Norwegi an version of SESSsv is presented in the Appendix.