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Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Medical Outcomes Study – Social Support Survey: Examining the Factor Structure Among Victimized Women on Probation and Parole

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Abstract

Women in the justice system are a highly marginalized population that are disproportionately affected by violent victimization and psychological distress. Social support is a key mechanism in understanding these experiences. However, rigorous psychometric testing of existing social support instruments is scant and to date there are no studies specifically testing instruments for use with justice involved women. In order to address this gap, the present study sought to confirm the factor structure of the 12- and 4-item Medical Outcomes Study – Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), a widely used measure of social support. Confirmatory factor models were estimated via robust weighted least squares and polychoric correlations among a sample of 406 victimized women on probation and parole. Findings supported the use of the 4-item version of the MOS-SSS as a reliable, valid, and extremely parsimonious measure of social support among victimized women on probation and parole.

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Notes

  1. The study from which these data are taken was designed to elucidate the heterogeneous nature of victimization and the subsequent effects on behavior thus the sample was limited to victimized women only. Similarly, women who reported only having sex with other women were excluded from participation. Intimate partner violence between same gender female partners is an important and understudied issue. The dynamics of violence between same gender partners may be similar to and/or distinct from violence between opposite gender partners; however, this empirical question/issue was outside the focus of the study. These issues are also addressed as limitations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Justice Administration, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Louisville, 2301 South Third Street 208 Brigman Hall, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA

    George Higgins, Catherine D. Marcum, Seana Golder, Martin T. Hall & T. K. Logan

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  1. George Higgins
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  2. Catherine D. Marcum
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  3. Seana Golder
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  4. Martin T. Hall
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  5. T. K. Logan
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Correspondence to George Higgins.

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Higgins, G., Marcum, C.D., Golder, S. et al. Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Medical Outcomes Study – Social Support Survey: Examining the Factor Structure Among Victimized Women on Probation and Parole. Am J Crim Just 40, 811–822 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-015-9290-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-015-9290-x

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