Scale of Positive and Negative Experience – SPANE
A 12-item self-report measure that assesses the frequency of positive and negative experiences and feelings.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience – SPANE was developed by Ed Diener, Daniel Wirtz, William Tov, Chu Kim-Prieto, Dong-won Choi, Shigehiro Oishi, & Robert Biswas-Diener (2010). It is designed to measure Subjective Well-Being (Positive and Negative Affect). The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 12 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Positive Feelings (SPANE-P), Negative Feelings (SPANE-N), Affect Balance (SPANE-B).
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Feelings (SPANE-P) | 1,3,5,7,10,12 | 6 |
| Negative Feelings (SPANE-N) | 2,4,6,8,9,11 | 6 |
| Affect Balance (SPANE-B) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 | 12 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Very Rarely or Never, 2 = Rarely, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often, 5 = Very Often or Always.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from -24 to 24. Interpretation guidelines:
- Negative Affect Balance (Predominantly Negative Experiences): -24 – -1
- Neutral Affect Balance: 0 – 0
- Positive Affect Balance (Predominantly Positive Experiences): 1 – 24
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of SPANE-P: .87, SPANE-N: .81, SPANE-B: .89.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.