title: The long-term stability and predictive validity of trait measures of affect.
abstract: This study examined the long-term temporal stability and predictive utility of trait Positive Affect and Negative Affect scales. Participants were assessed initially as undergraduates: They rated how they felt generally (general sample) or during the past year (year sample). They were retested on a general affect measure and on scales assessing current depression and anxiety approximately 6 (general sample) or 7 (year sample) years later. By this time, all of them had graduated from college and most were working full-time. Negative Affect scores declined significantly over the study. Nevertheless, the Negative and Positive Affect scales both displayed a significant, moderate level of stability. Moreover, initial scores on both scales correlated significantly with measures of current symptoms that were completed several years later. Thus, trait affect scales were substantially stable--and maintained significant predictive power--even across extended time spans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242-1407, USA. david-watson@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results