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Happiness Measures
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About Happiness Measures
Scale Name
Happiness Measures
Author Details
Michael W. Fordyce (1988)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Happiness Measures (HM), also known as the Fordyce Emotion Questionnaire, developed by Michael W. Fordyce in 1988, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure emotional well-being and the affective component of subjective well-being (SWB). Targeting adults, it assesses perceived happiness through both intensity and frequency of affect. Cited in Fordyce (1988), it aligns with subjective well-being frameworks (Diener, 1984), focusing on positive and negative affect to evaluate general happiness and mental health.
The HM consists of two questions. The first item measures happiness intensity on an 11-point scale (0 = “extremely unhappy” to 10 = “extremely happy”), with descriptors like “neutral” at 5. The second item estimates the percentage of time respondents feel happy, unhappy, and neutral. Scores are reported as raw values: the scale score (0-10) from item one and three percentage estimates (happy %, unhappy %, neutral %) from item two. A combination score ([scale score * 10 + happy %] / 2) may be calculated but is rarely used. Reported norms for community college students (mean age 26) include a scale mean of 6.92 (SD = 1.75), happy % mean of 54.13 (SD = 21.52), unhappy % mean of 20.44 (SD = 14.69), and neutral % mean of 25.43 (SD = 16.52). Validated across over 1,500 administrations, it is used to assess well-being, guide mental health interventions, and predict life satisfaction.
Psychologists, mental health professionals, and well-being researchers use the HM to evaluate emotional health, monitor intervention outcomes, and study happiness correlates. Its brevity, strong psychometric properties, and extensive validation are strengths, though English-only availability may limit cross-cultural use. Fordyce (1988) described it as “the most thoroughly analyzed wellbeing measure” and a “granddaddy” of happiness measures, while Diener (1984) praised its strong correlations with daily affect and life satisfaction, recommending broader use.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from authorized sources, such as Fordyce (1988) in Social Indicators Research (Vol. 20, pp. 63-89), ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses perceived happiness to support mental health and well-being, emphasizing anonymity and using clear, non-judgmental language.
- Provide instructions, asking respondents to select a happiness level (0-10) for item one and estimate percentages of time spent happy, unhappy, and neutral (totaling 100%) for item two, based on the past month.
- Approximate time for completion is 2 minutes, given the two-item format.
- Administer in clinical, educational, or research settings, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment. Oral administration may be used for accessibility.
Reliability and Validity
The Happiness Measures demonstrates strong psychometric properties, as reported in Fordyce (1988). Internal consistency is not typically reported for two-item scales, but reliability is supported by high test-retest stability (r ≈ 0.80-0.90 over weeks) across diverse samples. The scale shows remarkable stability and relative freedom from response, sex, age, and race bias.
Convergent validity is supported by strong correlations with daily affect (r ≈ 0.60-0.80) and life satisfaction (r ≈ 0.50-0.70), as noted by Diener (1984). Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like cognitive performance (r < 0.30). Concurrent validity is demonstrated by alignment with other well-being measures, and discriminative validity is shown by distinguishing between clinical and non-clinical populations. Construct validity is supported by its focus on affect intensity and frequency, aligning with SWB frameworks. Its extensive validation (over 1,500 administrations) and strong psychometric profile make it robust, though pairing with multi-item scales like the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985) can enhance accuracy.
Available Versions
02-Items
Reference
Fordyce, M. W. (1988). A review of research on the happiness measures: A sixty second index of happiness and mental health. Social indicators research, 20, 355-381.
Jarden, A. (2011). Positive psychological assessment: A practical introduction to empirically validated research tools for measuring wellbeing. Získáno, 2(3), 2014.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Happiness Measures assess?
It measures perceived happiness through intensity and frequency of affect.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, mental health professionals, and well-being researchers studying adults.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 2 minutes.
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets adults, with norms for community college students (mean age 26).
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, its strong reliability and validity support mental health interventions.
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