Scale of Positive and Negative Experience – SPANE
Measures the frequency of positive and negative experiences and feelings over the past four weeks.
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 (2009). It is designed to measure Positive and Negative Affect. 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 -24 to 24. Interpretation guidelines:
- Negative Affect Balance (Predominantly negative feelings): -24 – -1
- Neutral Affect Balance: 0 – 0
- Positive Affect Balance (Predominantly positive feelings): 1 – 24
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Good internal consistency (high Cronbach's alpha).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.