Nelson (1981): study US 1978

Publication

Author(s):

Nelson, G.

Title:

Moderators of Women's and Children's Adjustment Following Parental Divorce.

Source:

Journal of Divorce, 1981, Vol. 4, 71 - 83

Investigation

Public

Recently divorced women, Manitoba, USA, 1978

Sample

Respondents

N = 15

Non Response

56%

Assessment

Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)
Mailed questionnaire and focused interview

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Self report on 10 questions:

During the past few weeks, did you ever feel ....?  (yes/no)
A   Particularly excited or interested in something?
B   So restless that you couldn't sit long in a chair?
C   Proud because someone complimented you on something  
     you had done?
D   Very lonely or remote from other people?
E   Pleased about having accomplished something?
F   Bored?
G   On top of the world?
H   Depressed or very unhappy?
I    That things were going your way?
J    Upset because someone criticized you?

Answer options and scoring:
yes = 1
no  = 0
Summation:
-Positive Affect Score (PAS): A+C+E+G+I
-Negative Affect Score (NAS): B+D+F+H+J
-Affect Balance Score (ABS): PAS minus NAS
Possible range: -5 to +5

Name: Bradburn's 'Affect Balance Scale' (standard version)

Classification:

A-BB-cm-mq-v-2-a

Author's label:

Emotional adjustment

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Current positive feelings about the ex-husband Coping with divorce/widowhood
Satisfaction with close adult relatives