Social Support Test — Free 12-Question Family, Friends & One Special Person Check
- Free
- 12 questions
- No sign-up
- Instant result
A free social support self-check: how much you feel you can actually lean on family, friends and peers, and one special person. Twelve questions, about three minutes, scored 0-12 for each of the three networks so you can see where support is solid and where it is thin.
What's included
- Questions
- 12 items
- Price
- Free
- Areas measured
- Support from Family · Support from Friends and Peers · One Close Person By My Side
When this check is useful
If something hard has happened and you do not know who to tell, if a free weekend brings no one to mind, or if you know plenty of people yet have no one to call on a heavy night, it is worth mapping your support network. This check divides social support into three networks, family, friends and peers, and one special person, and looks at how much emotional and practical support you feel you can actually draw from each.
It is especially useful right after a move, job change, or study abroad, during periods when childbirth or caregiving has narrowed your circle, after a breakup, and whenever stress is high but recovery is not happening. Perceived social support is one of the best-known protective factors that buffer the impact of stress on mental health. The items were written by Soundary with reference to research on perceived social support; they are not a translation or adaptation of any standardized scale, and the result is a reference self-check.
What to do with your result
Each of the three networks has four items scored 0-12, and higher means you feel more supported. Read 0-3 as thin right now, 4-6 as reachable at times, 7-9 as mostly solid, and 10-12 as very solid. Where a network came out thin, start with small actions rather than big resolutions: send a short hello to someone you have known a long time, share one more light conversation, or make one specific request. Each of these widens the channel a little.
If all three networks score 0-3, or loneliness has lasted for weeks and your mood is often heavy, building new relationships may itself feel too hard, so consider talking to a counselor first. Thin support reflects your current circumstances rather than a personal flaw, and counseling can be the first channel that changes those circumstances. Retake the check every four to eight weeks and read it alongside loneliness, depression, and stress checks to follow the trend.
How scores are interpreted
Support from Family
Emotional support and practical help felt from family members you live with or contact frequently (or people who are like family). A higher score means you feel strongly supported.
0–3pts · Currently Very Weak
You are currently in a state where you feel almost no support from your family. You might be physically distant, awkward at expressing yourselves to each other, or facing circumstances that make it hard to rely on them right now. Even if it is not family, you can create channels of support for yourself. If this state continues for a long time and your heart often feels heavy, we gently recommend talking with a counseling professional.
4–6pts · Sometimes Connected
Family help reaches you in certain matters, but it tends not to come through well when you are emotionally struggling. A small check-in message or a specific request can gradually widen the channel.
7–9pts · Generally Supported
You feel that you can generally rely on your family in moments when you need to. These relationships become stronger the more you express your feelings, so try saying thank you at least once.
10–12pts · Very Strongly Supported
Your family serves as a solid pillar of support, both emotionally and in practical matters. This current relationship will be a great resource when going through difficult times.
Support from Friends and Peers
Emotional exchange and practical help in peer relationships, such as friends or comfortable colleagues. A higher score means you have relationships where you can comfortably rely on them.
0–3pts · Currently Very Weak
You are currently in a state where almost no friend comes to mind to comfortably open up to. This is a common occurrence for anyone during busy periods or when environments change. Sending a short greeting to someone you have known for a long time is one approach, and if the loneliness persists, you may want to seek help from a counseling professional.
4–6pts · Sometimes Connected
You have people to laugh with, but you tend not to bring up difficult stories. Sharing even lighthearted stories one more time will naturally widen the scope of who you can rely on.
7–9pts · Generally Supported
You have a friend to contact when needed, and you can be yourself to some extent in front of them. Simply maintaining your current connections steadily is doing well enough.
10–12pts · Very Strongly Supported
You have well-established friendships where you can comfortably open up and actually exchange help. This is a resource that provides particular strength during highly stressful periods.
One Close Person By My Side
A sense of connection with one special person whose face immediately comes to mind when you think of their name. This can be anyone, such as a romantic partner, spouse, old friend, or mentor.
0–3pts · Currently Very Weak
You are currently in a state where a single person to share deep thoughts with does not easily come to mind. Such a person sometimes appears only after time builds up, and the spot may be empty depending on the season of your life. This is more of a current situation rather than a personal shortcoming. If this empty space feels difficult for a long time, talking with a counseling professional can be helpful.
4–6pts · Sometimes Connected
Someone comes to mind, but you tend to hesitate about whether it is okay to contact them in truly difficult moments. Sharing small stories first will gradually reduce that hesitation.
7–9pts · Generally Supported
You have someone who comes to mind both when you are happy and when you are struggling, and you feel you can generally contact them. This connection serves as a safety net for your mind.
10–12pts · Very Strongly Supported
You definitely have one person who will be on your side in any situation. Just one relationship like this becomes a solid foundation that helps you endure various difficulties.
Sample questions
- 1. When I am too sick to get out of bed, someone in my family brings me food or goes to the doctor with me.
- 2. When I am in trouble, I end up telling my family first, even if it feels awkward.
- 3. My mind feels a bit lighter after talking on the phone or seeing my family face-to-face.
- 4. When I urgently need money or a helping hand, I can bring up the situation to my family.
Please answer by reflecting on how things have actually been over the past month. It is enough to answer based on what you feel in your current life, rather than 'how it should be.' If no one comes to mind for a particular item, you can choose a lower response. There are no right or wrong answers, and your responses will only be used as data to help understand yourself.
FAQ
How do I read my social support scores?
You answer 12 items on a 0-3 scale, and the three networks, family, friends, and one special person, each have four items scored 0-12. Higher means more support: 0-3 is thin, 4-6 reachable at times, 7-9 mostly solid, and 10-12 very solid. Even if one network is thin, a solid one elsewhere can still keep the overall buffering effect going.
Does a low score mean something is wrong with me socially?
No. The score is not a diagnosis but a reference measure of how much support you currently feel you can draw on. Moves, job changes, childbirth, or caregiving temporarily thin anyone's network, and living far from family who are not expressive can also lower the score. Read it as your present circumstances rather than a flaw, and use it to decide which network to widen first.
How can I build more social support?
You do not need to start big. Sending a short hello to someone you have known a long time, having one more light conversation, making a small but specific request, and saying thank you when helped all widen the channel. Settings where you meet the same people repeatedly, such as a regular group or hobby, give relationships soil to grow in. Share the hard things first with the one person who feels safest.
How often should I take this check?
Because it asks about the past month, every four to eight weeks is a good interval. Retaking it after a move, a job change, a breakup, or joining a new group shows which network shifted. Save the results and read them with loneliness, depression, and stress checks to see whether periods of thin support line up with periods of low mood.
Source
The items in this test are a self-check adaptation based on the original instrument and literature below: Self-check items composed by Soundary with reference to the concept of perceived social support in Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30–41, and Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310–357. Not a translation or adaptation of any standardized instrument; a screening tool for reference only.
The items in this test were written by Soundary with reference to published diagnostic criteria and academic literature. They are not a translation or adaptation of any standardized instrument, and the score bands are Soundary's own self-check thresholds.
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This is a self-screening tool, not a medical diagnosis. If the result concerns you, please consult a mental health professional.