The Long-Term Stability and Predictive Validity of Trait Measures of Affect

This study examined the long-term temporal stability and predictive utility of trait Positive Affect and Negative Affect scales. Participants were assessed initially as undergraduates: They rated how they felt generally (general sample) or during the past year (year sample). They were retested on a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 1996-03, Vol.70 (3), p.567-577
Main Authors: Watson, David, McKee Walker, Lori
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Affective Symptoms - diagnosis
Affective Symptoms - psychology
Anxiety
Anxiety - diagnosis
Anxiety - psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Emotional States
Emotions
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Humans
Individuality
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Personality
Personality Assessment - statistics & numerical data
Personality Development
Personality Inventory - statistics & numerical data
Personality Measures
Personality Traits
Personality. Affectivity
Predictive Validity
Psychological tests
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Psychometrics
Reproducibility of Results
Self-Report
Social psychology
Statistical Validity
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Summary:This study examined the long-term temporal stability and predictive utility of trait Positive Affect and Negative Affect scales. Participants were assessed initially as undergraduates: They rated how they felt generally (general sample) or during the past year (year sample). They were retested on a general affect measure and on scales assessing current depression and anxiety approximately 6 (general sample) or 7 (year sample) years later. By this time, all of them had graduated from college and most were working full-time. Negative Affect scores declined significantly over the study. Nevertheless, the Negative and Positive Affect scales both displayed a significant, moderate level of stability. Moreover, initial scores on both scales correlated significantly with measures of current symptoms that were completed several years later. Thus, trait affect scales were substantially stable-and maintained significant predictive power-even across extended time spans.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.70.3.567