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Studies

Bernheim et al. (2006): study DE 1990

Publication

Author(s):
Bernheim, J.L.; Hofmans, J.; Mazaheri, M.; Theuns, P.
Title:
The Potential of Anamnestic Comparative Self Assessment (ACSA) to Reduce Bias in the Measurement of Subjective Well-Being.
Source:
Journal of Happiness Studies, 2006, Vol. 7, 227 - 250

Investigation

Public
Patients university hospital, Berlin, Germany 1990-2003
Sample
Non-probability chunk sample
Respondents
N = 2584
Non Response
Assessment
Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)
Filled out in waiting room of hospital, either on paper or on a palm-top computer

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question:

Please rate your life satisfaction these days, compared to the BEST and the WORST periods in your life that you have just identified
Answers rated on an open line scale:
-5  |  worst period
-4  |
-3  |
-2  |
-1  |
0
+1 |
+2 |
+3 |
+4 |
+5 | best period

Preceded by recall of best and worst periods in life-experience

Name: ACSA (Anamnestic Comparative Self Assessment)
Classification:
O-BW-c-sq-ol-11-a
Author's label:
Amennestic Comparative Self-Assesment
Remarks:
Means recoded from -5 to +5 to 0-10
Variance 7,74. skewness 0,41, kurtosis -0.69, Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z  5,37 p<0.001
Page in publication:
230-237
Observed distribution
Frequencies
1: 134%,   2: 124%,   3: 101%,   4: 126%,   5: 90%,   6: 158%,   7: 105%,   8: 39%,   9: 51%,   10: 35%,   11: 37%   (total 1000%)
Summary Statistics
On original range 0 - 10 On range 0-10
Mean:
- 3.86
SD:
- 2.78
Full text:
Self report on single question:

Currently I am .. with life as a whole
1  very dissatisfied
2  dissatisfied
3  neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied
4  satisfied
5  very satisfied
Classification:
O-SLW-c-sq-v-5-q
Author's label:
Conventional Question (CQ)
Remarks:
Transformed mean stretched to range 0-10
Variance 9.54, Skewness 0.05, Kurtosis -1.13, Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z  10.15 p<0.001
Page in publication:
230-234
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics
On original range 1 - 5 On range 0-10
Mean:
- 4.69
SD:
- 3.08

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Disease Current specific mental disorders (icd-10 classification)
Current disease (who icd-10 classification)
socio-demographic variables Summed socio-demographic factors only Age Current age (in years) Sex Sexe: male (vs female) Marital status Broken marriage: divorced and widowed (vs married or never married Graduation Level of school-education Employed Current employment status Convential Question(CQ) O-SL by C-BW LSI Life-adjustment inventories