Graney (1973): study US 1967

Publication

Author(s):

Graney, M.J.

Title:

The Affect Balance Scale and Old Age.

Source:

Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Sociological Society, 1973, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Investigation

Public

62-89 aged females, followed 4 years USA, 1967-71

Sample

Respondents

N = 44

Non Response

27%; 24% unattainable, 3% incomplete.

Assessment

Interview: face-to-face
Sructured interview at home.

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:

Happiness.

Remarks:

Slightly positively skewed: 30% happy, 45% neutral, 25% unhappy (in 1971)

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Age Age difference among elderly Physical ability Degree of restriction Cosmopolitan orientation towards social participation Concern about organizational participation Gains in social status over 4 years Change in freedom
Specific current life-events
Change in resources