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Studies

Hacker & Gaitz (1969): study US 1966

Publication

Author(s):
Hacker, S.L.; Gaitz, C.M.
Title:
The Moral Career of the Elderly Mental Patient.
Source:
Gerontologist, 1969, Vol. 9, 120 - 127

Investigation

Public
Aged mental patients, 1 year after admission, USA, 1966
Sample
Respondents
N = 36
Non Response
66% drop-outs: 33% dead, 17% could not be located, 16% inco-herent or refusal.
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face
using open-ended questions, spaced one year apart.

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.

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding In treatment Before and after entrance
Before and after leave
In mental hospital