Network psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians: a hierarchical Exploratory Graph Analysis

The network of social support interwoven within Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Communities can carry immense significance for their well-being and health outcomes. Our study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Supports (MSPSS) in an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander population. Participants (N = 730) were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People residing in South Australia, aged between 19 and 82 years (M = 43.6, SD = 14.5), predominantly female (68.5%) and living within a rural or remote area (62.8%). The study employed a network approach to examine the psychometric properties of: (1) network structure, stability, and fit; (2) measurement invariance; (3) criterion validity; and (4) reliability. The MSPSS was shown to have a hierarchical network structure, with a lower-order domain consisting of three communities—Special Person, Family, and Friends—and a higher-order domain forming a unidimensional¬ network representing overall Perceived Social Supports. This structure was found to have 100% stability, indicating strong structural consistency and item/ subscale stability. The three communities displayed excellent reliability and the model provided a good explanation for the data. There was evidence of metric invariance across sex (male vs. female), age (younger vs. older), and location (rural/remote vs. metropolitan). Researchers and clinicians can confidently employ the MSPSS as a reliable and valid tool to measure Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians’ perceptions of social support across different dimensions and explore its impact on various outcomes.