Introduction
The Happiness Measures (HM) is a very brief self-report instrument that assesses overall subjective happiness and psychological well-being. It combines a global self-rating of happiness with estimates of how much time a person feels happy, unhappy and neutral. Michael W. Fordyce published its research review in 1988, which has received at least 1,100 citations.
Fordyce called it "a sixty second index of happiness and mental health." This guide explains its two sections, scoring, interpretation and related measures.
Key Features of the Happiness Measures (HM)
Purpose and Use
The HM gives a rapid measure of perceived emotional well-being. It assesses two related components of subjective well-being:
Global happiness: an overall rating of how happy a person isAffective balance: the estimated share of time spent feeling happy, unhappy and neutralTarget Population
The HM is intended for adults.
Structure
The HM is described as two items, organized in two sections:
Section
What it asks
1. Happiness scale
A single global item rating overall happiness on a numerical scale from 0 to 10
2. Time estimates
Three related questions estimating the percentage of time the person feels happy, unhappy and neither happy nor unhappy, adding up to 100%
The HM has no formal subdomains.
Scoring Method
Raw scores: the 0–10 scale score and the three percentage estimates are each used as raw scores.Combination score: Fordyce also described a combination score: [(Scale score × 10) + Happy %] / 2. It combines the general happiness rating with the percentage of time spent feeling happy.No cut-off has been established. The HM is interpreted as a continuous measure of subjective happiness, and no validated threshold exists for categorizing respondents.
Administration Format
The HM is a brief self-report measure that takes about a minute.
Applications of the Happiness Measures (HM)
The HM supports several uses:
Social indicators research: measuring happiness in surveys.Well-being research: assessing both the intensity and frequency of affect.Quick screening of well-being: giving a fast index of perceived emotional well-being.Languages and availability
The HM is described in Fordyce's 1988 review in Social Indicators Research, published by Kluwer Academic Publishers. The review is also available through JSTOR and Semantic Scholar.
Reliability and Validity
In the original 1988 publication, Fordyce reported good reliability, exceptional stability, and extensive evidence of convergent, construct, concurrent and discriminative validity.
Validation studies:
A review of research on the happiness measures: a sixty second index of happiness and mental health (1988): study linkLimitations and Considerations
Keep these points in mind:
No cut-off: no validated threshold exists for categorizing respondents.Very brief: the HM gives a global picture of happiness rather than a detailed profile.Estimates: the time percentages are the respondent's own estimates and must add up to 100%.Other Versions And Related Questionnaires
These questionnaires are related:
Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ)Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS)WHO-5 Well-Being IndexWarwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS); see the ResRef PANAS guideSatisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS); see the ResRef SWLS guideAdditional Resources
The original review: linkThe original article lists the author at Edison Community College, 16000 College Parkway, Fort Myers, Florida 33907-5164, USA.Browse more psychology questionnaires in the ResRef database.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What do the Happiness Measures assess?The HM assesses overall subjective happiness through a 0–10 happiness rating and estimates of the percentage of time a person feels happy, unhappy and neutral, giving a quick picture of emotional well-being.
How are the Happiness Measures scored?The 0–10 rating and the three time percentages are used as raw scores. Fordyce also described a combination score: the scale score times 10, plus the happy percentage, divided by 2.
Is there a cut-off score for the HM?No. No cut-off has been established. The HM is interpreted as a continuous measure of subjective happiness, and no validated threshold exists for categorizing respondents.
How long do the Happiness Measures take?The HM is very brief. Fordyce described it as a sixty second index of happiness and mental health, so most people can complete it in about a minute.
A Word from ResRef About the Happiness Measures (HM)
The Happiness Measures (HM) is a very brief self-report measure of subjective happiness that assesses both the intensity and frequency of affect. In the original 1988 publication, Fordyce reported good reliability, exceptional stability, and extensive evidence of convergent, construct, concurrent and discriminative validity.
References
Fordyce, M. W. (1988). A review of research on the happiness measures: A sixty second index of happiness and mental health. Social Indicators Research, 20(4), 355–381. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00302333