The Problematic Support Scale: A validation among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Rheumatology
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Social support is crucial for patients with chronic illnesses like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
• However, not all social support is beneficial; problematic support can negatively impact patient well-being.
• Existing measures may not fully capture the nuances of problematic social support in SLE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and psychometrically evaluate the Problematic Support Scale (PSS) for patients with SLE.
• To identify distinct types of problematic social support experienced by SLE patients.
• To establish the reliability and validity of the PSS for use in clinical and research settings.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 344 SLE patients.
• Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to determine the scale's structure.
• Reliability (e.g., internal consistency) and concurrent validity were assessed.

Main Results:

• Factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure for problematic support: denying/uninformed support and oppressive support.
• Denying/uninformed support involves overlooking disease realities; oppressive support is perceived as excessive.
• The Problematic Support Scale demonstrated good reliability and concurrent validity.

Conclusions:

• The Problematic Support Scale effectively measures two key types of unhelpful social support in SLE patients.
• Findings support the scale's utility for assessing problematic support in SLE and potentially other chronic conditions.
• The scale has theoretical and methodological implications for social support research.