Validation of a Measure of Positive and Negative Affect for use with Cross-national Older Adults

Abstract

Introduction

Positive Affect (PA) and Negative Affect (NA) have been used as general dimensions to describe affective experience, and they are the affective, emotional components of SWB.

Objectives

Positive and negative affect is a relevant facet of well-being for community-dwelling older adults. This study aims to conduct a validation of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), by assessing the psychometric properties (distributional properties, construct, criterion and external-related validities, and reliability) of the PANAS in a cross-national sample of older adults.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey design was used. A convenience sample of 1291 community-dwelling older adults aged 75 years old and older was recruited from community centers. Construct validity was estimated through confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity. Criterion and external-related validities, reliability and distributional properties were also assessed.

Results

The PANAS demonstrated satisfactory reliability, distributional properties, and construct, criterion and external-related validities in this sample of older adults.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the PANAS can be used as a reliable and valid measure for examining positive and negative affect among cross-national community-dwelling older adults.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.