Affect Levels in a Platoon of Basic Trainees

Abstract

The Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL) with a weekly time-set was administered 9 times in a repeated measures design to a platoon of recruits ( N = 39) undergoing basic combat training (BCT). The MAACL with a daily time-set was administered 10 times to the same platoon (N = 48) during an early portion of the BCT cycle. Analyses of variance performed on the raw Dysphoria scores revealed highly significant occasion effects, with the peak of distress occurring near the mid-point of the BCT process. Analysis after standard score transformation of the Anxiety, Depression, and Hostility raw scores suggested that specific affects may be more easily observed on some occasions than on others. Construct validity relationships were drawn between MAACL mean scores and external events. MAACL scale reliabilities were examined.

Factor analysis of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List: A separation of positive and negative affect.

“…The findings that items from all three MAACL scales loaded on both factors and that the scales themselves were highly correlated suggests that the MAACL does not enable one to discriminate among anxiety, depression, and hostility, but at best reflects the degree of general negative affect or dysphoria experienced by the individual. In this respect, our findings are consistent with the results of previous researchers who reported large positive correlations among the three MAACL subscales in a variety of subject samples (e.g., Datel, Gieseking, Engle, & Dougher, 1966; Lubin & Zuckerman, 1967; Pankratz et al, 1972; Sweeney et al, 1982).…”

Analogue versus clinical depression: A critical reappraisal.

“…A similar psychometric problem is inherent in the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL; Zuckerman & Lubin, 1965), another inventory included in Gotlib's (1984) study. However, numerous studies conducted over the past 2 decades using a variety of subject samples have documented the poor discriminant validity of the MAACL's subscales (e.g., Datel, Gieseking, Engle, & Dougher, 1966; Gotlib & Meyer, 1986; Hunsley, 1990a, 1990b; Lubin & Zuckerman, 1967; Pankratz, Glaudin, & Goodmonson, 1972; Scogin & Merbaum, 1983; Sweeney, Moreland, & Gruber, 1982; Zuckerman, 1980; Zuckerman & Lubin, 1965; Zuckerman, Lubin, & Rinck, 1983; Zuckerman, Persky, Eckman, & Hopkins, 1967). Thus, it appears that the MAACL is inappropriate for differentiating anxiety and hostility from depression.…”

Personality Correlates of Coping with Military Basic Training

“…This situation is highly standardized and presents recruits with a number of significant adaptational demands (Bourne, 1967;Maskin & Altman, 1943;Janis, 1945;Zurcher, 1968). These demands produce reliable evidence of affective arousal during the most demanding period Datel, Engle & Barba, 1966;Datel, Gieseking, Engle, & Dougher, 1966;LaRocco, Ryman, & Biersner, 1977), thereby suggesting that stress is present.…”