Affectometer 2: A scale to measure current level of general happiness

Abstract

Affectometer 2 is a 5-minute inventory of general happiness or sense of well-being based on measuring the balance of positive and negative feelings in recent experience. Since this scale is directly derived from its parent scale, Affectometer 1, psychometric findings on the longer scale are reported along with initial data on Affectometer 2 . These results indicate high reliability, high validity, and slight contamination by current mood and social desirability. Among the findings of special interest are: (a) the independence of positive and negative affect proposed by Bradburn is not confirmed; (b) well-being is highly and inversely related to neuroticism, anxiety, depression and somatic complaints; (c) the relationship of well-being to depression is curvilinear; (d) well-being scores are determined more by short-term states than long-term traits; (e) well-being can be characterized by 10 "qualities of happiness".' The curve shown in Figure 1 is also supported by other recent data. Using Affectometer 1, A.G. Cramb and M. D. Hills observed a 15-week test re-test r of 072 on a sample of 45 adults, close to the predicted r of 066. Several other well-being scales used with a random sample of 3288 Canadians, have yielded 2-year test-retest rs in the ranges -40 to -53 as reported by Atkinson (1982).

An epidemiological study of hypertension and its determinants in a population in transition: the THUSA study

“…The following questionnaires were developed specifically for the THUSA study population, according to the abovementioned objectives: a demographic questionnaire (n = 1821), a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) and a food portion picture book 10 (n = 1821), and a physical activity questionnaire (n = 946) based on the Baecke scale. 11 Psychosocial variables were measured by adapted versions of the Strategic Approach to Coping Scale (SACS), 12 Perceived Social Support Scale (PSS), 13 Affectometer 2 (AFM), 14 Individualism-Collectivism Scale (I-C), 15 and African Acculturation Scale (AAS) based on the work of Landrine and Klonoff. 16 These tests were adapted for the Setswana population by Stapelberg and Wissing, 17 Wissing et al, 18 Moroeng and Wissing 19 and Choabi and Wissing.…”

Job insecurity, burnout and work engagement: The impact of positive and negative affectivity

“…The Job Insecurity Questionnaire (JIQ) (De Witte, 2000), the Affectometer 2 (AFM 2) (Kammann & Flett, 1983), the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) (Demerouti, Bakker, Vardakou & Kantas, 2003) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) (Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá & Bakker, 2002) were used in this study. Biographical information was also gathered regarding race, education, age and tenure.…”

“…Examples pertaining to the negative affectivity scale would include, "I wish I could change some part of my life", and "I feel like a failure", whereas items from the positive affectivity scale would include "My life is on the right track", and "I can handle any problems that come up". Kammann and Flett (1983) The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) (Demerouti et al, 2003) was used as a measure of burnout. The OLBI includes both core dimensions of burnout, known as exhaustion and disengagement (cynicism/depersonalisation).…”

“…The items of the JIQ, measuring global job insecurity, are reported to have a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0,92 and both scales (cognitive and affective) were shown to be highly reliable, with the six items measuring cognitive job insecurity displaying a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0,90, and the five items of the affective job insecurity displaying a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0,85 (De Witte, 2000). The Affectometer 2 (AFM 2) (Kammann & Flett, 1983) was used to measure affectivity. The AFM 2 is a 20-item self-report scale measuring the balance of positive and negative feelings in recent experience.…”

Validation of three Setswana measures for psychological wellbeing

“…There is, however, a lack of validated measures for these purposes in many of the South African official languages. As language is a medium for cultural meanings, measures of mental health should be validated in the mother tongue of the people involved.Research purpose: The aim of this study was therefore to explore the psychometric properties of Setswana versions of three measures of psychological wellbeing, namely the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) (the 29-item version) (Antonovsky, 1987), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener, Emmons, Larson & Griffen, 1985) and Affectometer 2 (AFM) (Kammann & Flett, 1983).Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was implemented for this study. Questionnaires were translated, back-translated and evaluated in a researchcommittee approach.…”