Validity and reliability of Arabic MOS social support survey

Area of Science:

• Psychometrics
• Medical Education
• Arabic Health Surveys

Background:

• Social support is crucial for medical student well-being.
• Validated instruments are needed to assess social support in diverse populations.
• Existing social support surveys require translation and cultural adaptation for non-English speaking contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an Arabic translation of the Medical Outcomes Study social support survey (MOS-SSS).
• To assess the psychometric properties of the Arabic MOS-SSS in a sample of Sudanese medical students.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 487 medical students in Khartoum, Sudan.
• Standard translation procedures followed by psychometric evaluation.
• Construct validity assessed via factor analysis; convergent and discriminant validity by item-scale correlations.
• Internal consistency evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and Spearman-Brown split-half reliability.
• Test-retest reliability assessed over ten days in 252 participants.

Main Results:

• The Arabic MOS-SSS exhibited high construct validity, with four factors explaining 72% of the variance.
• High item-scale correlations supported convergent and discriminant validity.
• Excellent internal consistency was found (Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability).
• Test-retest correlation coefficients were weak, indicating limited stability over time.

Conclusions:

• The Arabic version of the MOS social support survey is a valid and internally consistent measure.
• The instrument is suitable for assessing social support among Arabic-speaking medical students.
• Further research is needed to address the observed low test-retest reliability.