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Happiness Measures

Characteristics

Code:
M-AO-*-mq-v-12-a
Focus:
Mixed: Affect + Overall (M-AO)
Time frame:
various time frames (*)
Mode:
multiple questions (mq)
Scale Type:
verbal scale (v)
Scale Range:
12

Description

Self report on 31questions:

A: McGreal & Joseph 'Depression-Happiness Scale'  (DHS)
A number of statements that people have used to describe how they feel are given below. Read each one and circle the number that best describes how frequently that statement was true for you in the past seven days, including today. Some statements describe positive feelings and some describe negative feelings. You may have experienced both positive and negative feelings at different times in the past week.
a  I felt sad
b  I felt I had failed as a person
c  I felt dissatisfied with my life
d  I felt mentally alert
e  I felt disappointed with myself
f  I felt cheerful
g  I felt life wasn't worth living
h  I felt satisfied with my life
i  I felt healthy
j  I felt life crying
k  I felt I had been successful
l  I felt happy
m  I felt I couldn't make decisions
n  I felt unattractive
o  I felt optimistic about the future
p  I felt life was rewording
q  I felt cheerless
r  I felt life has a purpose
s  I felt too tired to do anything
t  I felt pleased with the way I am
u  I felt lethargic
v  I found it easy to make decisions
w I felt life was enjoyable
X  I felt life was meaningless
Y  I felt run down
Answer options:
0  never
1  rarely
2  sometimes
3  often
Negative affect score (NAS): a+b+c+e+g+j+m+n+q+s+u, B
Positive affect score   (PAS): d+f+h+i+k+l+o+p+r+t+v+w
Affect Balance Score (ABS): PAS - NAS + 39

B: Diener's Satisfaction With life Scale (SWLS)
Using the 1-7 scale below, indicate your agreement with each of the items by placing the appropriate number on the line preceding that item. Please be open and honest in your responding.
a  In most ways my life is close to ideal
b  The conditions of my life are excellent
c  I am satisfied with my life
d  So far, I have gotten the important things I want in life
e If I could live my life over, I would change nothing
Answers rated:
7  strongly agree
6  agree
5  slightly agree
4  neither agree nor disagree
3  slightly disagree
2  disagree
1  strongly disagree
Computation: (a+b+c+d+e)/5

Computation A+B

List of Studies Using this Measure

Study Population N Mean
Standard Deviation
Jones (2006): study US California 2006 Evening students, California, United States of America, 2006 N = 87
Mean
= 73.900
SD
= 13.800