Screening scale of positive and negative experience (SPANE): Validation of the russian version

Abstract

The development of positive psychology, health psychology and biopsychosocial approach to health in medicine shifted the emphasis in the diagnostics of emotions towards positive indicators of stable emotions in the framework of screening tools, allowing to compare positive and negative emotions with a cognitive appraisal of life. In E. Diener's model, subjective well-being is determined through its three interconnected components – satisfaction as a result of cognitive appraisal of one's life, as well as positive and negative emotions as affective сcomponents. He criticizes the most widespread in the world scale for psycho-diagnostics of emotions PANAS for its emphasize on emotions with a high level of excitation, rather than qualitative features of emotions. As an alternative, he proposed a Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences (SPANE), characterized by a greater emphasis on modality, in contrast to intensity, of emotions. The aim was to validate the Russian version of the scale. 179 students of psychological specialties and 100 adult respondents filled out this scale and Satisfaction with Life Scale. The students also answered the questions of a brief version of WHOQOL and a brief version of the Quality of Life and Satisfaction Questionnaire. According to the data obtained, the scale is characterized by sufficient reliability-consistency (Cronbach alpha 0,81–0,89), test-retest reliability (r = 0,52–0,65) and factor validity. Its subscales correlate with satisfaction with life, quality of life, especially in the domains of emotions and communication, as well as coping strategies that are traditionally described as "productive", which indicates the external validity of the scale. The scale can be used for screening diagnostics of positive and negative emotions in psychological research.