The new MAACL scales with adolescents: preliminary reliability and validity determinations

Area of Science:

• Psychological Assessment
• Adolescent Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• The Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL) is a tool for measuring emotional states.
• Its reliability and validity in adolescent populations require specific investigation.
• Understanding adolescent affect is crucial for mental health and educational support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and concurrent validity of the MAACL (trait and state forms) in high school students.
• To establish the MAACL's suitability for use with adolescents aged 14-16.
• To compare adolescent MAACL scores with college student data.

Main Methods:

• Administered trait and state forms of the MAACL to 403 high school students (9th-10th grade).
• Calculated internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) for anxiety, depression, hostility, and positive affect scales.
• Correlated MAACL scores with a stress-related symptoms checklist and extracurricular activity inventory.

Main Results:

• Internal consistency (alphas) ranged from .67 to .91 across the four MAACL scales.
• Correlations with stress symptoms and extracurricular activities were significant and in the predicted directions.
• Adolescent MAACL scale means and standard deviations were comparable to those reported for college students.
• Significant sex differences were observed on some MAACL scales.

Conclusions:

• The MAACL demonstrates sufficient reliability and concurrent validity for use with high school students.
• Findings support the MAACL's application in adolescent psychological assessment.
• The MAACL can be a valuable tool for research and clinical practice with adolescents.