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Studies

Gaitz & Scott (1972): study US Texas 1969

Publication

Author(s):
Gaitz, C.M.; Scott, J.P.
Title:
Age and the Measurement of Mental Health.
Source:
Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1972, Vol. 13, 55 -67

Investigation

Public
Adults, general public, Houston, Texas, USA, 1969
Sample
Respondents
N = 1441
Non Response
2%, aged Mexican-Americans of high socio-economic status only
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face
Structured interview

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:
Equivalence: - affect balance score x negative affect score : r = -.07 (01) - affect balance score x positive affect score : r = +.72 (01) - positive affect score x negative affect score : r = -.01 (ns) Validity:
Full text:
Self report on single question :

All things considered, how happy would you say you are right now?
3  very happy
2  pretty happy
1  not too happy
Classification:
O-HL-m-sq-v-3-a
Author's label:
Psychological well-being
Observed distribution
Frequencies
1: 12%,   2: 45%,   3: 43%   (total 100%)
Summary Statistics
On original range 1 - 3 On range 0-10
Mean:
2.31 7.51
SD:
0.67 1.75

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Age Current age (in years) Ethnicity Ethnic status in the USA Male sex Sexe: male (vs female) Self-perceived physical health Global health self-rating Mental illness Scores on symptom inventories Satisfaction with oneself as a person Satisfaction with oneself-as-a-person Occupational skill level Skill level of occupation Psychological well- being A-AB by M-AO