There appeared to be no difference between Group 1 and Group 2 in terms of internal consistency and alternate form reliabilities of the two forms of the MAACL-R. The internal consistency alphas for the Short Form were found to be almost identical to those for the Standard Form of the MAACL-R. Correlations between the short and long versions ranged from .84 to .94. With regard to validity, the correlations between the Short Form of the MAACL-R and the other similar types of assessments were almost identical for those for the Standard Form.

According to Lubin, Van Whitlock, Reddy, & Petren (2001), the 66-item. MAACL-R requires between only one and a half and two minutes to complete. The brevity of the instrument combined with its reliability and validity should make the Short Form a welcome addition to instruments available that measure trait affect or mood.

In different studies, two other shortened forms of the MAACL-R have been developed that provide assessment at lowered reading levels. The MAACL-R6 was developed out of a perceived need for the use of the MAACL-R with children and with adults who have only a grade-school education. Of the 66 scorable items on the MAACL-R, 62 adjectives were designated as Grade 6 reading level or below using a compendium based on the empirical definition of grade level for word comprehension (Dale & O'Rourke, 1981). In a previous study, responses on the MAACL-R Standard Form were rescored with a grade six scoring key and these responses didn't differ significantly from those for an instrument containing only the grade six adjectives (MAACL-R6) (Lubin, Van Whitlock, & Rea, 1995).

Data were collected from two nonreferred samples and one referred sample. Both nonreferred

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samples were college students. The referred sample consisted of 202 individuals at a community mental health center outpatient clinic. Data were scored for both the original MAACL-R and the MAACL-R6. All three samples completed the trait version of the MAACL-R. The referred sample also completed four 5-point self-rating scales of mood which measured Tension, Sadness, Anger, and Elation. Data from the samples were scored using both the original MAACL-R scoring key and the grade six scoring key.

In summary, the internal consistency and test-retest reliability and the validity of the MAACL-R6 (Grade 6 scoring key for the MAACL-R) were almost as high as those for the MAACL-R. The researchers felt that the findings indicated the MAACL-R6 "shows promise as a brief, low reading-level instrument for use in research." More data are being gathered for this version.

A very similar study (Lubin & Van Whitlock, 1998) was completed in order to develop a form of the MAACL-R at the fourth-grade reading level. The results indicated that only three scales, Positive Affect 4, Anxious Depression 4 and Hostility 4 should be scored rather than all five factors. However the reliability and validity of these scales were acceptable and this form and the grade six form are ready for more research.

Lubin G., Van Whitlock, R., Reddy, D., & Petren, S. (2001). A a comparison of the short and long forms of the MAACL-R. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 411-416.

Lubin, B., Van Whitlock, R., & Rea, M. R. (1995). A grade six reading level key for the MAACL-R. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1995, 81, 883-889.