Validation of the positive and negative affect scale in the Chilean population and its application on migrant people

Although the positive and negative affect scale proposed by Mroczek and Kolarz has not been as widely used as other instruments, the adequate psychometric properties reported and the simplicity of the application, make it an adequate instrument to measure the hedonic component of subjective well-being. Thus, the scale validation in Chile will allow researchers to have a short and reliable instrument available in order to measure subjective well-being.

The initial objective of this study was to in Chile the "Positive and negative affect scale" proposed by Mroczek and Kolarz.

A non-probabilistic sample of 155 Chileans and a sample of 308 adult immigrants residing in Chile from Colombia, Peru and Venezuela were recruited. The sample of Chileans was used to validate the scale. The construct validity (Cronbach's Alpha and exploratory factor analysis) and the concurrent validity through bivariate correlations with other measures were estimated. Finally, the differences in affect expression by Chileans in comparison with migrants’ people were evaluated.

The reliability index was Alpha = 0.92 for the positive affect sub-scale and Alpha = 0.75 for the negative affect sub-scale. The exploratory factor analysis reproduced in the same way the factorial loadings proposed in the original instrument with saturations greater than 0.35 per item. Colombian and Venezuelan migrants show greater expression of positive affect than Chileans, while this difference is not observed when comparing Chileans with Peruvians.

The positive and negative affect scale has adequate psychometric properties to measure the expression of affect (hedonic well-being) in the Chilean population.