Typological mood-state factors measured in the Eight State Questionnaire

Previous studies of the higher-order state-change factors in the Eight State Questionnaire (8SQ) have suggested that at least three typological mood-state dimensions are measured in the instrument. Nevertheless, the appropriate dR-factor analytic methodology has not always been employed, and even when it has (e.g. Boyle, 1985a), the sample size has been sufficient to allow only preliminary conclusions. The present study explores more thoroughly this issue of typological mood-state factors in the 8SQ using a large sample of 470 subjects. A dR-factoring of the intercorrelations for the subscale difference scores (across two separate measurement occasions) suggests clearly the presence of four different emotional/mood-type factors. These findings are compared with higher-order factors obtained previously for the Differential Emotions Scale (DES), an instrument which is also purported to measure fundamental human emotions.