Measuring Social Support among Soldiers with the Experienced Post-Deployment Social Support Scale (EPSSS): A...

Area of Science:

• Military Psychology
• Mental Health Research
• Sociology

Background:

• Perceived social support is crucial for mitigating adverse mental health outcomes post-deployment.
• Existing social support measures may lack contextual sensitivity for recently returned soldiers.
• There is a need for validated scales tailored to soldiers' specific needs in the initial post-deployment period.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a scale measuring experienced post-deployment social support (EPSSS) for soldiers.
• To assess the construct validity and psychometric properties of the EPSSS.
• To ensure the scale is contextually relevant and reliable for Danish soldiers.

Main Methods:

• Item response theory (IRT) framework utilizing Rasch models (RM) for item analysis.
• Testing for differential item functioning (DIF) across variables like previous deployments and cohort.
• Construct validation of an 8-item measure, refined to a 6-item version (EPSSS).

Main Results:

• The initial 8-item scale did not fit the Rasch model.
• A refined 6-item version (EPSSS) demonstrated fit to an extended graphical loglinear Rasch model (GLLRM).
• Only one instance of DIF was detected in the 6-item scale, with minimal impact on overall results.

Conclusions:

• The 6-item EPSSS is a valid measure for assessing social support in Danish soldiers post-homecoming.
• The scale can be applied without score correction, offering a practical tool for mental health professionals.
• Findings support the use of context-specific measures for evaluating soldier well-being after deployment.