Scale of Positive and Negative Experience – SPANE
Measures the frequency of positive and negative experiences and feelings to assess subjective well-being.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience – SPANE was developed by Diener, E., Wirtz, D., Tov, W., Kim-Prieto, C., Choi, D., Oishi, S., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2009). It is designed to measure Subjective Well-Being. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 12 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Positive Feelings (SPANE-P), Negative Feelings (SPANE-N).
| 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 |
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 6 to 30. Interpretation guidelines:
- Positive Feelings (SPANE-P) Score Range: 6 – 30
- Negative Feelings (SPANE-N) Score Range: 6 – 30
- Affect Balance (SPANE-B) Score Range: -24 – 24
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.