Table A-1.
Measures of Self-Reported Distress and Distrust
| Self-Reported Distress |
| Individual Economic Distress Scale |
| We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. So far as you and your family are concerned, would you say that you are pretty well satisfied with your present financial situation, more or less satisfied, or not satisfied at all? |
| How satisfied are you in your job? |
| During the last few years, has your financial situation been getting better, worse, or has it stayed the same? |
| Compared with American families in general, would you say your family income is far below average, below average, average, above average, or far above average? |
| Thinking about the next 12 months, how likely do you think it is that you will lose your job or be laid off—very likely, fairly likely, not too likely, or not at all likely? |
| About how easy would it be for you to find a job with another employer with approximately the same income and fringe benefits you now have? Would you say very easy, somewhat easy, or not easy at all? |
| Collective Economic Decline |
| In the past few years, do you think conditions for black people have improved, gotten worse, or stayed about the same? |
| Personal Distress Scale |
| Taken all together, how would you say things are these days—would you say that you are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy? |
| In general, do you find life exciting, pretty routine, or dull? |
| Would you say your own health, in general, is excellent, good, fair, or poor? |
| Distrust |
| Interpersonal Distrust Scale(α = .602) |
| Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are mostly just looking out for themselves? |
| Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair? |
| Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you can’t be too careful in life? |
| Distrust of Federal Government Scale (α = .695) |
| I am going to name some institutions in this country. As far as the people running these institutions are concerned, would you say you have a great deal of confidence, only some confidence, or hardly any confidence at all in them? |
| Executive branch of the federal government? |
| U.S. Supreme Court? |
| Congress? |