Development and Validation of the Satisfaction in Couple Relationship Scale (SCR)

The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Satisfaction in Couple Relationship Scale (SCR) in order to provide a tool that is clear and useful for research and professional practice with couples. The sample was made up of 620 participants in a couple relationship (57.7% women and 42.3% men). Most of participants were aged 32 or older (51.6%), were not married (54%), lived with their partner (66.1%) and did not have children (57.9%). The sample was randomly divided in two subsamples in order to study the factor structure or construct validity; a cross-validation strategy was used consisting of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the first one, and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the second one. Findings resulted in a 10-items scale made up of a single factor that explained 54.14% of the variance, and had excellent internal consistency reliability (α?=?0.93).     

Transformational Leadership and Well-Being in Sports: The Mediating Role of Need Satisfaction

The present study examined the direct and indirect effect of coaches’ transformational leadership on athlete well-being. Participants were 184 floorball players who completed questionnaires about perceived transformational leadership from their coach, need satisfaction, and sport-related well-being. The analyses revealed positive relationships between perceived transformational leadership, need satisfaction, and well-being. The results also demonstrated that the positive effect of transformational leadership on athletes’ well-being was mediated by athletes’ need satisfaction. Furthermore, the results from this study add the previously unexplored outcome athlete well-being to the positive effects of transformational leadership in sports, thereby extending our knowledge of the transformational leadership process.     

Subjective Social Status and Well-Being: The Role of Referent Abstraction

Subjective social status (SSS) has been shown to predict well-being and mental health, above and beyond objective social status (OSS). However, little is known about the factors that moderate this relationship. Two studies explored whether the link between SSS and well-being varied depending upon the referent used for comparison in SSS judgments. Participants judged their well-being and SSS in comparison to referents that varied in abstraction. A confirmatory factor analysis on SSS judgments yielded two factors: (a) SSS perceptions toward global referents and (b) SSS perceptions toward local referents. SSS relative to a global referent was a better predictor of depression (Studies 1 and 2), life satisfaction (Studies 1 and 2), and self-esteem (Study 2) than SSS relative to a local referent. These findings have theoretical implications for understanding how people differentiate between local vs. global referents and practical implications for status-related health disparities.     

Optimism and Subjective Well-Being: Affectivity Plays a Secondary Role in the Relationship Between Optimism and Global Life Satisfaction in the Middle-Aged Women. Longitudinal and Cross-Cultural Findings

The focus of the present study lies on optimism and its relationships to the components of subjective well-being, i.e. global life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect. We investigated the direct and indirect (via affectivity) effects of optimism on global life satisfaction in the Swedish middleaged women at two time points (age 43 and 49), and in the Lithuanian middle-aged women. For this purpose, structural equation modelling was used and the fit indices were compared between two cognitive-affective models. The best fitting model suggests that the direct effect of optimism on global life satisfaction is stronger than that via affectivity. The result was found both in the Swedish sample at two time points and in the Lithuanian sample where the indirect effect was very low and insignificant. The indirect effect via negative affectivity was significant in the Swedish samples at both time points while the indirect effect via positive affectivity was low but significant only in the Swedish sample at age 43. In further analyses we studied the stability of optimism and the components of general SWB in the Swedish sample over a six-year period and a mean difference in optimism in two samples of women, Swedish and Lithuanian. Data analyses showed varying stability of the studied concepts with the highest stability coefficient being for negative affect and the lowest being for global life satisfaction. Cross-cultural analysis of mean difference in optimism showed that the Swedish women at age 43 reported significantly higher optimism as compared to their Lithuanian counterparts.     

Further Validation of the Satisfaction With Life Scale: Evidence for the Cross-Method Convergence of Well-Being Measures

The structure of subjective well-being has been conceptualized as consisting of two major components: the emotional or affective component and the judgmental or cognitive component (Diener, 1984; Veenhoven, 1984). The judgmental component has also been conceptualized as life satisfaction (Andrews & Withey, 1976). Although the affective component of subjective well-being has received considerable attention from researchers, the judgmental component has been relatively neglected. The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmnos, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985) was developed as a measure of the judgmental component of subjective well-being (SWB). Two studies designed to validate further the SWLS are reported. Peer reports, a memory measure, and clinical ratings are used as external criteria for validation. Evidence for the reliability and predictive validity of the SWLS is presented, and its performance is compared to other related scales. The SWLS is shown to be a valid and reliable measure of life satisfaction, suited for use with a wide range of age groups and applications, which makes possible the savings of interview time and resources compared to many measures of life satisfaction. In addition, the high convergence of self- and peer-reported measures of subjective well-being and life satisfaction provide strong evidence that subjective well-being is a relatively global and stable phenomenon, not simply a momentary judgment based on fleeting influences.     

Relationship Context,Body-Esteem,Religiosity, and Sexual Experience: Associations with Well-Being and Relationship Status

Abstract

In this study we explored why there are sometimes conflicting findings regarding the influence of past sexual experience on relationships. Consequently, we studied the effects of body-esteem and religiosity on sexual experience in two relational contexts (casual or committed relationships) and how all of these variables were associated with life satisfaction, and the likelihood that a person would be married by their early thirties. With a national sample of 4966 participants, our results indicated that sexual experiences in casual relationships had negative associations with life satisfaction and relationship status, whereas sexual experiences in committed relationships had positive associations.     

A New Measure of Life Satisfaction: The Riverside Life Satisfaction Scale

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985) has been the dominant measure of life satisfaction since its creation more than 30 years ago. We sought to develop an improved measure that includes indirect indicators of life satisfaction (e.g., wishing to change one's life) to increase the bandwidth of the measure and account for acquiescence bias. In 3 studies, we developed a 6-item measure of life satisfaction, the Riverside Life Satisfaction Scale, and obtained reliability and validity evidence. Importantly, the Riverside Life Satisfaction Scale retained the high internal consistency, test–retest stability, and unidimensionality of the Satisfaction With Life Scale. In addition, the Riverside Life Satisfaction Scale correlated with other well-being measures, Big Five personality traits, values, and demographic information in expected ways. Although the Riverside Life Satisfaction Scale correlated highly with the Satisfaction With Life Scale, we believe it improves the Satisfaction With Life Scale by appropriately increasing construct breadth and reducing the potential for bias.     

The Confounding Role of Basic Needs Satisfaction Between Self-Determined Motivation and Well-Being

In this study three different theories grounded on Self-determination macro-theory (Basic Psychological Needs Theory, Organismic Integration Theory, and Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation) were combined into a single structural model to evaluate its goodness-of-fit to empirical data. It consisted on a model where basic psychological needs satisfaction was associated directly to well-being, and indirectly through the mediation of self-determined motivation. Since in this model the satisfaction of basic psychological needs would predict positively both self-determined motivation and well-being, basic psychological needs is considered to function as a confounding variable. The participants of the study consisted of 673 Spanish secondary education students (334 girls and 339 boys) with a mean age of 14.0 years (SD = 1.4). The model was confirmed partially. Direct associations between basic psychological needs satisfaction and psychological consequences were found and in the expected directionality. On the contrary, indirect associations between basic psychological needs satisfaction and psychological consequences were found, but generally with the opposite expected directionality. The sign of these indirect associations depended on whether components involved on the associations (basic psychological needs satisfaction, self-determined motivation and psychological consequences) were measured at the same or at different levels. Finally, the results found evidence of the confounding role of basic psychological needs between self-determined motivation and psychological consequences. Implications of these results for Basic Psychological Needs Theory, Organismic Integration Theory, and Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation are discussed.     

Satisfaction with Family Life in South Africa: The Role of Socioeconomic Status

This paper investigates the determinants of self-reported satisfaction with family life, applied to the South African context, with socioeconomic status (SES) as the main covariate and family functioning as the secondary covariate of interest. An individual-, household-, and subjective SES index is constructed via multiple correspondence analysis. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and multiple-group SEM (MGSEM) are used to analyse the role of SES in explaining satisfaction with family life. Higher levels of SES, especially household SES and subjective SES, are related to greater satisfaction with family life. Family functioning, in terms of better family flexibility, is associated with higher satisfaction with family life. The MGSEM results indicate that the role of family flexibility in explaining satisfaction with family life is similar across SES quartiles; family flexibility is an important predictor of family-life satisfaction, regardless of SES quartile.     

Development and Validation of the Couple Communication Satisfaction Scale

Abstract

The study presents the development and validation of a new Couples Communication Satisfaction Scale (CCSS). The CCSS observes each partner’s level of satisfaction with various aspects of their communication. An exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors that addressed their own communication presence, own emotional experience, their partner’s responsiveness, their partner’s contribution, and communication characteristics. A confirmatory factor analysis was also conducted to validate the five-factor structure. Findings revealed high levels of reliability in the sample and across genders. Measuring couple communication satisfaction may be helpful in providing a more complete picture of couple communication processes.     

The Role of Life Satisfaction in Predicting Student Engagement and Achievement

Much research has investigated how individual components of subjective well-being (e.g., life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect) influence adolescent functioning. Little is known, however, about how the third component of subjective well-being (SWB), life satisfaction, contributes to positive adolescent outcomes when investigated simultaneously with positive and negative emotions. The current study extends Lewis et al.’s (J Psychoeduc Assess 27:397–408, 2009. doi:10.1177/0734282908330571) work by considering the incremental validity of life satisfaction (LS) relative to negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) as predictors of student engagement and achievement in a sample of middle school students. Results indicated LS provided incremental validity over affective states in predicting student engagement and some aspects of academic achievement. Gender also moderated these relationships. Practitioners are encouraged to include all components of SWB in assessments, especially when trying to understand students’ school functioning.     

Job Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being in a Sample of Nurses

It is surprising that there are no published studies exploring job satisfaction and subjective well-being (SWB) in nurses given the current shortage (Clark & Clark, 2002). For the present study, 152 nurses completed measures of job satisfaction, SWB, and social desirability. The Dimensions of Satisfaction scale was designed for this study and demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity. Results indicated that the most important aspect to nurses' job satisfaction is pay, followed by staffing and benefits. When entering the field, nurses most valued pay, followed by personal fulfillment and respect. A majority of the sample (59%) indicated satisfaction with their job, but this is well below the national average for American workers (85%; National Opinion Research Center, 2000). Nurses indicated higher SWB than the general population (Myers & Diener, 1996). However, the correlation between job satisfaction and SWB was lower than that of the general population (Tail, Padgett, & Baldwin, 1989).     

青少年学生生活满意度的结构和量表编制

本研究在文献分析的基础上,结合国外已有的生活满意度量表,通过访谈、开放式问卷等方法,构建了我国青少年学生生活满意度的理论维度,并据此编制了青少年学生生活满意度量表。对量表进行探索性因素分析和验证性因素分析后表明：生活满意度是一个多层次、多维度的结构,包括2个层次和6个维度。     

Predicting Satisfaction and Outcome Acceptance with Advisory Committee Meetings: The Role of Procedural Justice1

Research on procedural justice shows that when people view procedures as fair, they are more satisfied with the process and accepting of the outcomes. The group value model, in particular, argues that people care about procedural justice because it communicates whether those in charge are neutral, trustworthy, and respectful of people's rights. This study tested the group value model using survey data from people attending U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee meetings. The results confirmed a strong role for procedural justice, even when controlling for procedural knowledge, tolerance for potential conflicts of interest among committee members, and respondents' stakes in the outcomes. [T]o seem to be just to the disappointed participant, to retain his allegiance, this must surely be one of the more difficult tests that a decision‐making system can undergo ( Thibaut & Walker, 1975 , p. 68).     

Spirituality and Subjective Well-Being: Evidences for a New Domain in the Personal Well-Being Index

Subjective well-being explores the evaluations, both positive and negative, of how people experience their lives. Research in the field inquires how people perceive their well-being in different settings, including different cultures, regions and cities. A large number of different measures have been designed to capture subjective well-being. One of the most used SWB measure is the Personal Well-being Index (PWI), an evaluation of life developed by Cummins et al [(2003). Social Indicators Research, 64, 159–190] which proposes that satisfaction with life consists of seven different life-domains. Theoretical considerations of the contribution of spirituality and religiosity to life satisfaction, from a eudaimonic (from the Greek, it consists of the word "eu" (good or well-being) and the word “daemon” (spirit)) point of view, led to test the contribution of this new domain in the prediction of the Personal Well-being Index (PWI) in Bogotá, Colombia. Empirical results confirm the construct validity and reliability of the scale. The contribution of the new domain—satisfaction with spirituality and religiosity—to PWI was found significant. Based on these results the paper explores conceptually the role of spirituality contributing to satisfaction with life. The finding stresses the importance of interpreting satisfaction with life as a whole from the Aristotelian concept of eudaimonia. New questions for research in this important area are proposed     

Mediating Role of Satisfaction with Growth Opportunities on the Relationship Between Employee Development Opportunities and Citizenship Behaviors and Burnout

Theory and research from disparate areas were integrated to test if satisfaction with growth opportunities would mediate the influence of job‐ and company‐provided development opportunities on citizenship behaviors and employee burnout. In a sample of professional employees, the results of structural equation modeling provided support for partial mediation. Job‐provided development opportunities were significantly related to satisfaction with growth opportunities, which, in turn, was related to the citizenship behaviors of interpersonal helping, personal industry, and loyal boosterism and to the burnout dimension of personal accomplishment. Job‐ and company‐provided development opportunities also had a direct and differential association with forms of citizenship behaviors and burnout dimensions. Implications of the results for theory and practice are discussed. Directions for future research are offered.     

Measuring Lay Conceptions of Well-Being: The Beliefs About Well-Being Scale

A number of explicit conceptions of well-being have been provided by philosophers and psychologists, but little is known about laypersons’ conceptions of well-being. Two studies investigating the content and measurement of lay conceptions of well-being are presented. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures, the 16-item Beliefs about Well-Being Scale (BWBS) was developed to measure lay conceptions of well-being along four theoretically-meaningful dimensions: (1) the Experience of Pleasure, (2) Avoidance of Negative Experience, (3) Self-Development, and (4) Contribution to Others. Initial evidence concerning the reliability and validity of the BWBS indicated that this new scale has acceptable psychometric properties. In both studies, associations between each subscale, representing the above four dimensions, and multiple self-report measures of experienced well-being were also examined. Each subscale was significantly associated with well-being, with Self-Development and Contribution to Others indicating stronger associations with measures of well-being than either Experience of Pleasure or Avoidance of Negative Experience. Implications for future research using this economical new scale are discussed.     

感恩及其与幸福感的关系

感恩是当前积极心理学的热点课题, 是指个体用感激情绪了解或回应因他人的恩惠或帮助而使自己获得积极经验或结果的一种人格特质。感恩对于个体幸福感具有独特的预测作用, 中介模式和调节模式两种理论对其影响机制进行了解释。感恩干预可有效增加个体感恩水平, 进而提升幸福感, 其策略主要包括感恩记录、感恩沉思和表达感恩行为等。明晰感恩的概念与结构、完善测量工具、拓展并深化中介与调节机制、发展有效的干预策略、开展儿童青少年研究, 以及跨文化或本土化研究是该领域未来重要的研究方向。     

Measuring Satisfaction with Religiosity and Its Contribution to the Personal Well-Being Index in a Muslim Sample

This research aims to explore Satisfaction with Religiosity/Spirituality (SR/S) in a large sample of Muslims (1388 males, 1172 females) from Algeria. It also provides empirical evidence for the addition of a SR/S Domain item to the Personal Well-Being Index (PWI). A questionnaire dealing with satisfaction with a range of personal and societal domains was used. Results support previous findings (Wills Journal of Happiness Studies 10(1):49–69, 2009), and are in agreement with the recommendations of the International Well-being Group (Group discussion, 2006; IWG 2006). The new domain item makes a statistically significant — albeit a slight — contribution in predicting general satisfaction with life (SWL). Notably, higher satisfaction with religiosity/spirituality is found in women compared to men, married individuals compared to single ones, and inhabitants of the Sahara desert locations compared to people from other regions of Algeria.     

Analyzing the Relationship Between Social Capital and Subjective Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Social Affiliation

While previous studies have established social capital as an important determinant of subjective well-being (SWB), the broader social context people are living in has not received much attention in terms of SWB. To address this issue, we propose the concept of social affiliation, measuring the feeling of belonging to the social whole, of being a respected and valued member of society. In contrast to standard concepts of social capital, social affiliation is not related to an individual’s direct environment (‘Gemeinschaft’), but concerns one’s relation to society (‘Gesellschaft’). Such a subjective evaluation of how an individual feels within a broader societal context is neither covered by traditional concepts of social capital nor by the concept of social cohesion which focuses on the macro level. A perception of oneself as living on the margins of society, of not being a respected member of society, is very likely to diminish subjective well-being. At the same time, it can be expected to not be completely unrelated to individual resources of social capital. Drawing on unique survey data from Japan, we analyze the triangle relationship between social capital, social affiliation and subjective well-being applying a structural equation model. Our results have two main implications. First, we show that social affiliation has an effect on subjective well-being that is independent from the effect of standard measures of social capital. Second, we find that social capital influences social affiliation, and thereby also has an indirect effect on subjective well-being. In terms of theory building our results suggest that social embeddedness has two elements which should be measured separately: a community dimension usually measured as social capital in terms of trust, personal networks and norms, and a societal dimension of being and feeling part of a ‘Gesellschaft’, measured as social affiliation.