Turkish Adaptation of the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List–Short Form: A Validity and Reliability Study

Abstract

Social support plays a critical role in individuals' well-being and in their mental and physical health, and it serves a protective function in coping with stress. Existing social support measures in Turkish classify support primarily according to its source. The present study aimed to adapt the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List–Short Form (ISEL-12), which assesses perceived social support in terms of its functions (appraisal, belonging, and tangible support), into Turkish. Data were collected online from 206 university students aged 18 to 36. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original three-factor structure, whereas a unidimensional alternative model showed poor fit. Cronbach's alpha was .85 for the total score and .82, .65, and .81 for the appraisal, belonging, and tangible support subscales, respectively; the Spearman-Brown split- half coefficient was .82. Supporting criterion validity, the subscales correlated positively with life engagement and negatively with depressive symptoms and perceived stress. In conclusion, the Turkish version of the ISEL-12 provides preliminary evidence that it is a brief and practical instrument capable of assessing the functional dimensions of social support with adequate reliability and validity. Further research is recommended to examine its psychometric properties across different age, education, gender, and clinical populations.