Affectometer 2 Flett and Kammann

Abstract

The Affectometer 2, developed by R. Kammann and R. Flett in 1983, is a widely utilized psychological scale designed to measure the current level of general happiness and subjective affect. It is a multidimensional instrument that captures both positive and negative aspects of mental experience, making it particularly valuable for population-level studies focused on mental well-being. The scale is comprised of 40 items, including both declarative statements and adjective descriptors, which map onto ten distinct subscales covering various facets of life satisfaction and emotional state.

Keywords

Affectometer 2, happiness, subjective well-being, positive mental health, affect, quality of life, psychometrics, Flett, Kammann, mental health assessment.

Authors

Kammann, R., Flett, R.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Affectometer 2 is to provide a comprehensive and reliable measure of an individual’s current level of general happiness and emotional state. Unlike scales that focus solely on clinical distress or negative symptoms, this instrument is designed to monitor positive mental health and well-being across diverse populations. It is particularly useful in large-scale epidemiological studies and health monitoring initiatives, such as those conducted in the UK, where it has been used to assess population shifts in well-being and contribute to the development of related measures like the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS).

The scale aims to capture the full spectrum of subjective experience, differentiating between various components of positive and negative affect rather than providing a single, undifferentiated score of ‘happiness’. This granular approach allows researchers to identify specific areas of strength or challenge within an individual’s life domain.

Construct

The Affectometer 2 measures a complex, multi-factorial construct of subjective well-being, which is conceptualized as the balance between positive and negative affect across several life domains. The scale is structured around ten distinct subscales, each representing a specific component of well-being:

• Confluence (CO): General life satisfaction and feeling that life is on track.
• Optimism (O): Positive expectations about the future.
• Self-Esteem (SE): Feelings of self-worth and liking oneself.
• Self-Efficacy (SF): Belief in one’s ability to handle problems and achieve goals.
• Social Support (SS): Feeling loved, trusted, and understood by others.
• Social Interest (SI): Engagement and closeness with people around them.
• Freedom (F): Feeling unrestricted and not stuck in a rut.
• Energy (E): Vitality and enthusiasm.
• Cheerfulness (Ch): Tendency to smile, laugh, and maintain a good-natured disposition.
• Thought Clarity (TC): Ability to think clearly and creatively, contrasting with confusion.

Validity

The validity of the Affectometer 2 has been extensively examined, particularly in studies focused on its adaptation and use in UK populations. Studies confirm its strong construct validity, demonstrating that the scale effectively measures the intended dimensions of positive and negative affect and subjective well-being.

Research, such as that conducted by Tennant et al. (2007), has shown good criterion validity, with the scale correlating appropriately with other established measures of mental health and quality of life. Furthermore, the ability of the scale to differentiate between healthy populations and those experiencing mental distress supports its discriminant validity. The multi-dimensional structure provides a detailed profile, confirming that the ten subscales contribute uniquely to the overall assessment of well-being, justifying its use as a comprehensive measure of positive mental health.

Reliability

The Affectometer 2 demonstrates high levels of internal consistency, a key measure of psychometrics. Studies validating the scale across different cohorts have consistently reported strong Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the total score, indicating that the items reliably measure the overall construct of general happiness. Reliability analyses also support the internal consistency of the individual subscales, ensuring that each of the ten dimensions (e.g., Optimism, Self-Esteem, Energy) is measured coherently by its respective items.

Additionally, the scale exhibits acceptable levels of test-retest reliability, indicating stability over short periods. This suggests that the measure is consistent in capturing an individual’s current affective state, making it suitable for monitoring changes in well-being over time, particularly in intervention studies or longitudinal health surveys.

Factor Analysis

The underlying structure of the Affectometer 2 is supported by factor analysis, which generally confirms its multi-dimensional nature. While the scale is comprised of ten conceptually distinct subscales, factor analytic studies often reveal a higher-order structure corresponding to the two main components: Positive Affect and Negative Affect.

The 40 items load onto the specific subscales as intended, providing empirical support for the theoretical model proposed by Kammann and Flett. This robust factor structure allows researchers to use the scale either by summing the total score (general happiness) or by examining the scores on the ten specific subscales for a more nuanced understanding of the individual components contributing to subjective well-being. The positive and negative item phrasing (indicated by + and – symbols) is essential for balancing response bias and ensuring comprehensive coverage across affective dimensions.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale

Format: 40 items, comprising 20 declarative statements and 20 adjective descriptors.

Language Available: Primarily English; translated and validated versions exist, notably for use in the UK.

Population Group: General population; used extensively in clinical, non-clinical, and epidemiological research.

Age Group: Adolescents and adults.

Population Details: Has been widely validated in Australian and UK populations for monitoring positive mental health.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate the frequency with which they experience each item based on a 5-point Likert scale, typically ranging from (1) Not at all to (5) All of the time.

Keywords

General happiness, subjective well-being, affect, positive mental health, multidimensional assessment, psychometrics, quality of life, WEMWBS, self-esteem, optimism.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was originally published in 1983 by Kammann and Flett. Given its age and common usage in academic research, specific licensing requirements vary; however, researchers should consult the original authors or relevant publishing bodies for formal permissions before commercial or large-scale use. The instrument is often cited as being in the public domain for research purposes, particularly in the context of subsequent validations and adaptations like the WEMWBS.

The instrument and related research can be found in several publicly accessible documents. The original PDF for the 1983 work can be accessed here: https://www.pdf-archive.com/2016/06/12/kammann1983-1/kammann1983-1.pdf. Further validation reports are also available, including one linked here: http://www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/5776-Affectomter%20WEMWBS%20Final%20Report.pdf.

Reference’s

• Kammann‚ R.‚ & Flett‚ R. (1983). Affectometer 2: A scale to measure current level of general happiness. Australian Journal of Psychology‚ 35(2)‚ 259–265.
• Tennant‚ R.‚ Joseph. S.‚ Stewart-Brown. S. (2006). Monitoring positive mental health in Scotland: validating the Affectometer 2 scale and developing the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale for the UK. At: http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/2327.aspx
• Tennant‚ R.‚ Joseph. S.‚ Stewart-Brown. S. (2007). The Affectometer 2: a measure of positive mental health in UK populations. Qual Life Res‚ 16(4)‚ 687-695.
• Tennant‚ R.‚ Hiller‚ L.‚ Fishwick‚ R.‚ Platt‚ S.‚ Joseph‚ S.‚ Stewart-Brown‚ Sl. (2007). The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): Development and UK validation. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes‚ 5(63).
• Simmons‚ C.‚ Lehmann‚ P. (2012). Tools for Strengths-Based Assessment and Evaluation. Springer Publishing Company (2013).

Items of the Affectometer 2 Flett and Kammann

The scale utilizes a 5-point Likert scale response format, typically ranging from:

1. Not at all
2. Occasionally
3. Some of the time
4. Often
5. All of the time

The symbols + and – indicate positive and negative affect items. Symbols for the individual subscales are as follows: (CO) confluence; (O) optimism; (SF) self-efficacy; (SE) self-esteem; (SS) social support; (SI) social interest; (F) freedom; (E) energy; (Ch) cheerfulness; and (TC) thought clarity.

Statement Items (1-20):

• (CO+) 1. My life is on the right track
• (CO–) 2. I wish I could change some part of my life
• (O+) 3. My future looks good
• (O–) 4. I feel as though the best years of my life are over
• (SE+) 5. I like myself
• (SE–) 6. I feel there must be something wrong with me
• (SF+) 7. I can handle any problems that come up
• (SF–) 8. I feel like a failure
• (SS+) 9. I feel loved and trusted
• (SS–) 10. I seem to be left alone when I don’t want to be
• (SI+) 11. I feel close to people around me
• (SI–) 12. I have lost interest in other people and don’t care about them
• (F+) 13. I feel I can do whatever I want to
• (F–) 14. My life seems stuck in a rut
• (E+) 15. I have energy to spare
• (E–) 16. I can’t be bothered doing anything
• (Ch+) 17. I smile and laugh a lot
• (Ch–) 18. Nothing seems very much fun anymore
• (TC+) 19. I think clearly and creatively
• (TC–) 20. My thoughts go around in useless circles

Adjective Items (21-40):

Positive (+) Adjectives:

• (CO+) 21. Satisfied
• (O+) 22. Optimistic
• (SE+) 23. Useful
• (SF+) 24. Confident
• (SS+) 25. Understood
• (SI+) 26. Loving
• (F+) 27. Free-and-easy
• (E+) 28. Enthusiastic
• (Ch+) 29. Good-natured
• (TC+) 30. Clear-headed

Negative (–) Adjectives:

• (CO-) 31. Disconnected
• (O-) 32. Hopeless
• (SE-) 33. Insignificant
• (SF-) 34. Helpless
• (SS-) 35. Lonely
• (SI-) 36. Withdrawn (Note: The source incorrectly labels this SE- in one place, but based on SI being social interest, SI- is the likely intended subscale for withdrawn/loss of interest, which aligns with item 12)
• (F-) 37. Tense
• (E-) 38. Depressed
• (CH-) 39. Impatient
• (TC-) 40. Confused