Sheldon et al. (2010): study US 2008

Publication

Author(s):

Sheldon, K.M.; Abad, N.; Ferguson, Y.L.

Title:

Persistent Pursuit of Need-Satisfying Goals Leads to Increased Happiness: A 6-month Experimental Longitudinal Study.

Source:

Motivation and Emotion, 2010, Vol. 34, 39 - 48

Investigation

Public

University community members participating in happiness training, USA, 200?

Survey name

Unnamed study

Sample

Non-probability self-selected

Respondents

N = 180

Non Response

Assessment

Questionnaire: Conputer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI)
1st assessment in laboratory, follow-up assessments via the internet

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Self report on 25 questions:

A  Using the 1-7 scale below, indicate your agreement right now 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 again, 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
   Name: Diener's Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS)

B  Indicate to what extend you feel this way right now in your life:
   a nervous
b  distressed
c  afraid
d jittery
e  irritable
f  upset
g  scared
h ashamed
i  guilty
j  hostile
k  excited
l  active
m  determined
n  inspired
o  enthusiastic
p  alert
q  attentive
r  proud
s  strong
t  interested

Answer options:  
1  very slightly or not at all
2  a little
3  moderately
4  quite a bit
5  extremely

Positive affect score PAS: k to t
Negative affect score NAS: a to j
Watson PANAS, right now version

Summation: (z-score A) + (z-score B:PAS) - (z-score B:NAS)

Classification:

M-AO-c-mq-vt-*-a

Author's label:

Subjective Well-Being

Remarks:

Mean at baseline, all groups together. Theoretical scale range not clear. Minimum observed value = -1.5 and maximum observed value = 8.6

Page in publication:

43

Observed distribution

Summary Statistics

On original range 0 - On range 0-10

Mean:

4.78 -

SD:

- -

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Intervention to pursue need-satisfying goals Happiness training Happiness attitude at baseline Earlier happiness-attitudes
Current happiness-attitudes
Hedonic values Current goal progress Perceived realization of life-goals