Comparing the Psychometric Properties of Common Measures of Positive and Negative Emotional Experiences: Implications for the Assessment of Subjective Wellbeing

Abstract

Subjective wellbeing (SWB) is frequently measured in the field of positive psychology as an indicator of positive functioning. However, its measurement in the literature is quite heterogeneous, with little guidance on best practices and a lack of empirical comparisons of SWB scales. We seek to offer practical guidance in the measurement of SWB. The current study examined four previously utilized scales: the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences (SPANE), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). College students (N = 473) completed an online survey, and convergent validity and model fit were assessed for each scale in different structures (i.e., first-order, second-order, and bifactor). Although each scale performed well in most cases, the SPANE and SHS/CES-D combination consistently demonstrated stronger psychometric properties and convergent validity than the PANAS. The bifactor structure fit better than a second-order structure with each scale, but correlations among the second-order and general SWB factors and like-constructs were similar. Although less commonly utilized than the others, we suggest that the SPANE be used more frequently in positive psychological research as a measure of SWB due to its good psychometric properties and strong theoretical basis.