print

Studies

Mitchell (1985): study US 1974

Publication

Author(s):
Mitchell, J.
Title:
Family Helping Behavior and the Elderly: A Two-Dimensional Approach.
Source:
Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology, 1985, Vol. 13, 21 - 26

Investigation

Public
65+ aged, with children, USA, 1974
Sample
Probability sample (unspecified)
Respondents
N = 2147
Non Response
Assessment
Multiple assesment methods
The Affect Ballance Scale (Bradburn 1969) The Neugarten life satisfaction scale.

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on 10 questions:

During the past few weeks, did you ever feel ....?  (yes/no)
A   Particularly excited or interested in something?
B   So restless that you couldn't sit long in a chair?
C   Proud because someone complimented you on something  
     you had done?
D   Very lonely or remote from other people?
E   Pleased about having accomplished something?
F   Bored?
G   On top of the world?
H   Depressed or very unhappy?
I    That things were going your way?
J    Upset because someone criticized you?

Answer options and scoring:
yes = 1
no  = 0
Summation:
-Positive Affect Score (PAS): A+C+E+G+I
-Negative Affect Score (NAS): B+D+F+H+J
-Affect Balance Score (ABS): PAS minus NAS
Possible range: -5 to +5

Name: Bradburn's 'Affect Balance Scale' (standard version)
Classification:
A-BB-cm-mq-v-2-a
Author's label:
Psychological well-being
Error estimates:
Correlation with Life Satisfaction Index Z (Wood et al. 1969). r=+.61

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Perceptions of re- ceiving active help from (grand)children Amount of current support received Perceived active help given to (grand)children Amount of support provided Life satisfaction Adjustment to old-age inventories