Overview

Multidimensional social support survey that assesses four functional social support domains (tangible, emotional/informational, affectionate, and positive social interaction) and also includes a question about the number of close friends and family.

Scoring and Interpretation

Scored on a 5-point scale: none of the time (1), a little of the time (2), some of the time (3), most of the time (4), all of the time (5). Responses were summed to form a cumulative score of 0–20.

Citation

Sherbourne, Cathy Donald, and Anita L. Stewart. 1991. "The MOS Social Support Survey." Social Science & Medicine. 32(6): 705-714.

Original MOS scale: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.870.747&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Context and Applications to Child Nutrition

Brazil (Validated Portuguese version)
Surkan, Pamela J., Louise M. Ryan, Lina M. Carvalho Vieira, Lisa F. Berkman, and Karen E. Peterson. 2007. "Maternal Social and Psychological Conditions and Physical Growth in Low-Income Children in Piaui, Northeast Brazil." Social Science & Medicine. 64(2): 375-388.

Jamaica
Baker-Henningham, Helen, C. Powell, S. Walker, and S. Grantham-McGregor. 2003. "Mothers of Undernourished Jamaican Children Have Poorer Psychosocial Functioning and this Is Associated with Stimulation Provided in the Home." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 57(6): 786-792.

Zimbabwe
Matare, Cynthia R., Mduduzi NN Mbuya, Katherine L. Dickin, Mark A. Constas, Gretel Pelto, Bernard Chasekwa, Jean H. Humphrey, et al. 2021. "Maternal Capabilities Are Associated with Child Caregiving Behaviors among Women in Rural Zimbabwe." The Journal of Nutrition. 151(3): 685-694.

Tome, Joice, Mduduzi NN Mbuya, Rachel R. Makasi, Robert Ntozini, Andrew J. Prendergast, Katherine L. Dickin, Gretel H. Pelto, et al. 2021. "Maternal Caregiving Capabilities Are Associated with Child Linear Growth in Rural Zimbabwe." Maternal & Child Nutrition. 17(2): e13122.

Adaptations

Brazil
Griep, Rosane Harter, Dóra Chor, Eduardo Faerstein, Guilherme L. Werneck, and Cláudia S. Lopes. 2005. "Construct Validity of the Medical Outcomes Study's Social Support Scale Adapted to Portuguese in the Pró-Saúde Study." Cadernos de saude publica 21(3): 703-714.

Zimbabwe
Matare, Cynthia R., Mduduzi NN Mbuya, Gretel Pelto, Katherine L. Dickin, and Rebecca J. Stoltzfus. 2015. "Assessing Maternal Capabilities in the SHINE trial: Highlighting a Hidden Link in the Causal Pathway to Child Health." Clinical Infectious Diseases 61(suppl_7): S745-S751.

[Adapted from the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (Sherbourne & Stewart 1991) and Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (Cohen et al. 1985)]

Formative Research

Zimbabwe 
Matare, Cynthia R., Mduduzi NN Mbuya, Gretel Pelto, Katherine L. Dickin, and Rebecca J. Stoltzfus. 2015. "Assessing Maternal Capabilities in the SHINE trial: Highlighting a Hidden Link in the Causal Pathway to Child Health." Clinical Infectious Diseases 61(suppl_7): S745-S751.