3-item brief measure of perceived social support. ≈ 1 min to complete. Free with attribution.
OSSS-3 (Oslo Social Support Scale-3) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess 3-item brief measure of perceived social support.. It is most often used for 3-item brief measure of perceived social support.. The instrument contains 3 items. Typical administration time is ≈ 1 min.
Source / attribution: Free to use with citation
3-item brief measure of perceived social support. OSSS-3 is part of standard practice in this setting because it provides a structured, replicable assessment that can be tracked over time and compared across patients or visits.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, OSSS-3 is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 3 items below to see your OSSS-3 score and interpretation.
Each item is scored on a 4-point scale (1–4). Your score updates live as you answer.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Sum all 3 items with specific scoring. Total range 3-14. Score 3-8 = poor, 9-11 = moderate, 12-14 = strong.
Scoring notes: Sum all 3 items with specific scoring. Total range 3-14. Score 3-8 = poor, 9-11 = moderate, 12-14 = strong.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 3–8 | Poor support | Social support intervention |
| 9–11 | Moderate support | Monitor |
| 12–14 | Strong support | Maintain |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Read each question and choose the response that best fits. Each response has a number next to it — that number is the item's score. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How many people are so close to you that you can count on them if you have great personal problems? | 3-5 | 3 |
| 2 | How much interest and concern do people show in what you do? | Uncertain | 3 |
| 3 | How easy can you get practical help from neighbours if you should need it? | Easy | 4 |
Add up all the item scores you noted in Step 1.
3 + 3 + 4 = 10
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 10 falls between 9 and 11 → Moderate support
Moderate support. Monitor
A score is one input alongside history and examination. OSSS-3 supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
Psychometric figures are drawn from the validation literature and may vary across clinical populations and translations.
If OSSS-3 doesn't fit your context, related instruments in social support include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSPSS | 12-item measure assessing perceived social support from family, friends, and significant other. | 12 | ≈ 3 min |
| UCLA-LS | 20-item measure of subjective feelings of loneliness and social isolation. | 20 | ≈ 5 min |
| UCLA-LS-3 | Ultra-brief 3-item version of UCLA Loneliness Scale for large surveys. | 3 | ≈ 1 min |
| PHQ-9 | Severity of depression | 9 | ≈ 3 minutes |
| GAD-7 | Severity of generalized anxiety | 7 | ≈ 2 minutes |
| AUDIT | 10-item WHO screening tool for hazardous alcohol consumption and dependence. | 10 | ≈ 3 min |
| CHA2DS2-VASc | Annual stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation | 8 | — |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | Level of consciousness after head injury | 3 | — |
OSSS-3 (Oslo Social Support Scale-3) is a validated instrument that assesses 3-item brief measure of perceived social support.. Its primary clinical use is 3-item brief measure of perceived social support..
OSSS-3 typically takes ≈ 1 min to administer. Time can vary slightly depending on whether it is self-administered or clinician-led.
OSSS-3 contains 3 items. Items are summed to produce a total score.
Scores of 12–14 fall in the "Strong support" band. Maintain
Scores of 3–8 fall in the "Poor support" band. Social support intervention
OSSS-3 has reported Cronbach's α of 0.85 in validation samples and test–retest reliability of 0.8. Widely used in epidemiological studies.
OSSS-3 is free to use with attribution. Free to use with citation
Kocalevent, R. D., Berg, L., Beutel, M. E., Hinz, A., Zenger, M., Härter, M., Nater, U., & Brähler, E. (2018). Social support in the general population: standardization of the Oslo social support scale (OSSS-3). BMC Psychology, 6(1), 31.
No. OSSS-3 is a structured assessment aid. A score is one input alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
OSSS-3 is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: