Reliability and validity of Izard's differential emotions scale

Abstract

Izard's Differential Emotions Scale (DES) was administered to 204 University of Delaware undergraduates under each of four imaginal mood-induction conditions (labelled: General Depression, Curiosity, Specific Depression and Anxiety) and an actual pre-exam condition. A factor analysis of DES items supported the construct validity of some subscales. A repeated-measures multiple discriminant function analysis indicated that two-thirds of the DES items discriminated between the five conditions-an extremely stringent test of item validity. It was suggested, however, that refinement of the DES should attempt to decrease item redundancy (internal consistency) by re-establishing the instrument on a ..