Overview
The Social Support and Connectedness Inventory (SSCI) seeks to reveal the extent to which a student feels connected on their campus and supported. The assessment was designed to be administered 6-8 weeks into the semester to students in any class year. The recently revised SSCI provides factor scores for seven (5) factors.
Quick facts about the SSCI
- 38 Items
- Five (5) factor areas
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Social Companionship
- Academic Support
- Help Seeking
- Connectedness to Institution
- Administered via website
- Mobile-friendly
Factor Descriptions and Sample Items
| Factor | Description | Sample Item |
| Diversity, Equity, Inclusion |
The extent to which you which you feel welcome, respected, and safe expressing your identities at this institution |
At this institution, diverse perspectives (e.g., from different cultures, religions, genders, political views) are welcomed. |
| Social Companionship |
The extent to which you are connected to a supportive group of peers |
I have people at this institution I enjoy spending time with. |
| Academic Support |
The extent to which you feel supported academically by faculty and staff at this institution |
My instructors display a personal interest in my learning. |
| Help Seeking |
The extent to which you feel comfortable seeking help from others at this institution |
If I feel overwhelmed, I know about campus resources that could help me. |
| Connectedness to Institution |
The extent to which you value your experience at this institution |
I belong to a club/organization at this institution in which I feel connected. |
Origin of the SSCI
The original items for the SSCI were generated by the product and data science teams at Anthology in conjunction with professionals in the field based on literature on marginality and belongingness. The original set of 50 items was revised using exploratory factor analysis to the current instrument containing 38 items with five factors.
Administering the SSCI
To administer the SSCI, follow the same procedure for administering all assessments in Beacon. To begin select "Create Administration" from the Administrations page. Full set-up instructions can be found here.
For additional resources including sample recommendation statements, please see this article.