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.     

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, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985) was developed as a measure of the judgmental component of subjective well-being (SWB). Two studied 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.     

Valuing Happiness is Not a Good Way of Pursuing Happiness,but Prioritizing Positivity is: A Replication Study

Numerous studies confirm the merits of positive psychology. However, an emerging literature brings nuances, with one particular question concerning the impact of pursuing happiness: is this always positive? Some data suggest that an excessive level of valuing happiness may partly diminish the happiness felt, but that prioritizing positivity may increase subjective well-being. The aim of the present study was to replicate these findings. Participants (N = 683, 75% female) completed the prioritizing positivity scale (PPS) and the valuing happiness scale (VHS), as well as four well-being scales: the subjective happiness scale (SHS), the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS), the psychological well-being scales (PWB) and the center for epidemiological studies – depression (CES-D). Regression analyses showed that prioritizing positivity was positively associated with subjective happiness, life satisfaction and psychological well-being, but that it was negatively linked to depression. Opposite results partly emerged for valuing happiness. This cross-sectional study confirms that the way people pursue happiness, by prioritizing positivity or valuing it, may promote or partly hinder well-being.     

Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) by gender and age in Angola

Subjective well-being is a research arena that has grown almost exponentially: over the last 20 years, the number of publications on subjective well-being has increased approximately 16-fold (Diener, 2009). The cognitive aspect of subjective well-being or life satisfaction is referred to a conscious cognitive judgment of life (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin 1985), in which person’s quality of life is globally assessed (Shin & Johnson, 1978). The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS, Diener et al., 1985) is the most widely used instrument for its measurement. A reliable, valid and invariant measurement is critical for meaningful comparisons. The aim of this study is to examine the configural, metric and scalar invariance across age in the Portuguese version of the SWLS with a sample of 5630 Angolans. A standard measurement invariance procedure has been applied both across gender and age. Results shown that scalar invariance of the SWLS held across gender and age. This strong invariance allowed for meaningful latent mean comparisons. There were latent mean differences due to gender and age, but while gender differences were modest, the age differences were larger. Results are discussed in their relation with existing literature.     

Psychometric evaluation of the satisfaction with life scale in Togo: A three-step approach

IntroductionThe Satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) developed by Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin (1985) is considered the most widely used psychometric scale for assessing life satisfaction. Despite plethora of cross-cultural research that provided evidences of its robustness, none was conducted in French-speaking sub-Saharan countries such as Togo.ObjectiveAccordingly, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the validity of the SWLS extensively among Togolese college students (n = 460) in a three-step approach from 2012 to 2014.Method and resultsFirstly, social representations of well-being were explored qualitatively. Then, the original version of the SWLS was administered. Based on the results we gathered, a scale item was altered. Psychometric properties of the revised version of the SWLS were examined, revealing adequate construct validity, reliability, temporal stability, measurement invariance across gender, convergent validity with a single measure of life satisfaction, and discriminant validity with various life domain satisfactions.ConclusionLimitations and implications in life satisfaction measurement are also discussed with regards to the Togolese cultural context.     

《大学生主观幸福感量表》的编制

根据国内外关于主观幸福感的文献和已有的研究经验,编制了大学生主观幸福感问卷。以往大多数研究认为,主观幸福感由生活满意度和情绪体验两个基本成分构成,本研究认为主观幸福感还应包括社会性行为和人际关系等成分。对376名大学生进行初测,通过探索性因素分析,表明大学生主观幸福感由自我满意、家庭满意、消极情绪、积极情绪、精力、生活满意、社会性行为和人际关系8个维度构成,共41个项目。对511名大学生施测41个项目的主观幸福感问卷,进行验证性因素分析,结果表明,上述结构是合理的。     

大学生性格优势对主观幸福感的影响:优势运用和压力性生活事件的作用

采用整群抽样法对重庆市和河南省某两所大学800名大一至大三年级学生进行问卷调查,建立结构方程,考察性格优势、优势运用、压力性生活事件和主观幸福感的关系。结果发现：（1）优势运用在性格优势和主观幸福感之间起部分中介作用,即性格优势既对主观幸福感产生直接影响,也通过优势运用对主观幸福感产生间接影响;（2）压力性生活事件调节优势运用的中介作用,即优势运用对主观幸福感的影响随着个体所体验到的压力性生活事件的增加而提升;优势运用对主观幸福感起着有调节的中介作用。     

A bifactor model of subjective well-being: A re-examination of the structure of subjective well-being

The present research has aimed to extend the previous research on the structure of subjective well-being (SWB) by applying the bifactor model. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were administered to two large samples of Serbian young adults (N₁ = 1669, N₂ = 1522). The bifactor model of SWB with one general and three specific factors (life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) provided the best fit to the data and outperformed the original three-factor model and the higher-factor model in both samples. The results supported the multidimensional nature of SWB, with a strong general factor underlying the SWLS and PANAS. Bifactor modeling has shown that SWLS and PANAS reflect both common and specific variance in SWB, with about half of the reliable variance in life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect being independent of the general factor. The present findings imply that researchers should be careful when interpreting SWLS and PANAS scores and that general SWB factor should be taken into account. Implications for scale scoring and interpretation, and theoretical conceptualization of SWB are discussed.     

Does subjective well-being show a relationship between parents and their children?

The relationship between the subjective well-being of parents and their own 12–16-year-old children was explored in a Spanish sample of N = 266 families. A positive relationship was expected due to both a shared environment and the possibility of the genetic transmission of subjective well-being ‘set-points’. A positive significant relationship was found for the summated scale of satisfaction domains forming the Personal Well-being Index, and for the specific domains of health and security for the future. However, no relationship was found for the other five domains that make up this Index or for satisfaction with life as a whole. We conclude while these results provide some evidence for the expected influence of a shared environment, they have failed to provide evidence for high heritability of set-points for subjective well-being.     

Life satisfaction across adulthood: different determinants at different ages?

It is likely that with aging and changing life circumstances, individuals’ values shift in systematic ways, and that these shifts may be accompanied by shifts in the determinants of their subjective judgments of well being. To examine this possibility, the relations among the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and a number of personality, affect, demographic, and cognitive variables were examined in a sample of 818 participants between the ages of 18 and 94. The results indicated that although many variables had significant zero-order correlations with the SWLS, only a few variables had unique utility in predicting life satisfaction. Invariance analyses indicated that while the qualitative nature of life satisfaction remains constant across adult age, the influence of fluid intelligence on judgments of life satisfaction declines with age. In contrast, negative affect is negatively associated with life satisfaction consistently across the adult age span.     

中学生感恩与主观幸福感的关系:抗挫折能力与社会支持的中介作用

采用感恩问卷、正性情感负性情感量表、生活满意度问卷、抗挫折能力问卷和社会支持评定量表对865名中学生进行调查, 以考察中学生感恩和主观幸福感的关系, 以及社会支持与抗挫折能力在两者之间的中介作用。结果:(1)中学生正性情绪显著高于负性情绪;(2)中学生感恩与主观幸福感、社会支持、抗挫折能力相关显著;(3)结构方程分析结果显示, 中学生感恩直接负向预测负性情绪;社会支持和抗挫折能力在感恩与生活满意度、正性情绪间起到完全中介作用, 抗挫折能力在感恩和负性情绪间起部分中介作用。 结论:感恩能通过作用于社会支持和抗挫折能力来影响主观幸福感。     

大学生社会支持、自尊和主观幸福感的关系研究

采用量表法以300名大学生为被试研究了社会支持、自尊和主观幸福感(包括总体主观幸福感、生活满意度、积极情感和消极情感)的关系.(1)相关分析表明,社会支持、自尊和总体主观幸福感、生活满意度以及积极情感两两显著正相关;社会支持、自尊和消极情感显著负相关.(2)回归分析进一步表明:社会支持对自尊和主观幸福感各维度回归效应显著;自尊在社会支持基础之上对主观幸福感各维度回归效应显著,对社会支持与主观幸福感起到了中介作用.(3)EQS5.7b方法进一步验证了自尊是社会支持与主观幸福感的中介影响因素的结论.     

WHO IS HAPPY?

A flood of new studies explores people's subjective well-being (SWB) Frequent positive affect, infrequent negative affect and a global sense of satisfaction with life define high SWB These studies reveal that happiness and life satisfaction are similarly available to the young and the old, women and men, blacks and whites, the rich and the working-class. Better clues to well-being come from knowing about a person's traits, close relationships, work experiences, culture, and religiosity. We present the elements of an appraisal-based theory of happiness that recognizes the importance of adaptation, cultural world view, and personal goals     

Religiosity and Life Satisfaction: A Multi-dimensional Approach

In this paper we employ a unique data set of 413 adults and scrutinize over the linear and non-linear relationship of religious adherence to life satisfaction. The findings confirm the previous studies regarding the positive linear and curvilinear relationship between the uni-dimensional religiosity and subjective well-being. To deepen the understanding of the relationship between religiosity and subjective well-being, the authors make use of a multi-dimensional religiosity scale. Via dissecting religiosity into different dimensions, we show when life satisfaction is in negative, positive, linear and/or curvilinear relationship with religiosity. The empirical evidence shows that the relationships between the dimensions of religiosity on life satisfaction are non-linear. Specifically, we demonstrate that there exist non-linear relations of ideological and consequential dimensions of religiosity to life satisfaction.     

The Thrill of Creative Effort at Work: An Empirical Study on Work,Creative Effort and Well-Being

The connections between creative effort at work and four measures of subjective well-being are studied using data on a sample of 922 Jewish Israeli adults who are salaried employees. The paper finds that self-reported creative effort aimed at making work more enjoyable is positively associated with global evaluation of life; with purpose and meaning in life, and with positive emotions. No significant link with negative emotions was found. This study also finds significant associations with three additional intrinsic features of work-creative tasks; independence at work and intellectual work-and various measures of subjective well-being, even when controlling for age, gender, marital status, having children, education, time worked, financial satisfaction, subjective health and religiosity. The robustness of the links between intrinsic features of work and subjective well-being demonstrate that work serves not only as a means to material ends, but also as a direct source of personal happiness, meaning and satisfaction.     

动机在特质自我控制与主观幸福感关系中的作用与影响

本研究基于调节定向理论,以476名有效被试的测量数据,从动机的作用与影响来解释特质自我控制与主观幸福感关系的争议。结果发现：尽管（1）特质自我控制与主观幸福感正相关;但（2）两者间,促进动机有部分中介作用,预防动机无显著中介作用;故（3）高自我控制者也未必有更高的主观幸福感。因此,动机是特质自我控制与主观幸福感间的重要中介因素,不同动机导向的作用是造成特质自我控制与主观幸福感关系争议的重要原因。     

Liens entre vécu au travail et bien-être subjectif des infirmier(ère)s : des effets réciproques

The purpose of the present study was to explore links between job perceptions (working conditions, intrinsic and relational aspects of job satisfaction) and subjective well-being (life satisfaction, global health, mental health). Two hundred and seventy-three nurses working in a provincial hospital answered to a questionnaire (open and closed questions). Results support globally the hypothesis of mutual influences between job perceptions and subjective well-being. These findings are discussed in relation to differences between participants, depending of workplaces (hospital services) and negative interferences between work and private life.     

Testing Strengths-Based Interventions: A Preliminary Study on the Effectiveness of a Program Targeting Curiosity, Gratitude, Hope, Humor, and Zest for Enhancing Life Satisfaction

The study compares the impact of character strengths-based positive interventions in a sample of 178 adults. An experimental group that trained strengths of the Values-in-Action classification that typically correlate highly with life satisfaction (curiosity, gratitude, hope, humor, and zest) was compared in its gain in life satisfaction with a group that trained strengths that usually demonstrate low correlations with life satisfaction (appreciation of beauty and excellence, creativity, kindness, love of learning, and perspective) and a wait-list control group. If pre and post measures in life satisfaction were compared, the group with the strengths most correlated with life satisfaction improved significantly (statistically) in their satisfaction in comparison to a control group. This could be interpreted as support for the idea that primarily those strengths that correlate highly with life satisfaction should be addressed in strengths-based interventions. When asked for subjective ratings of well-being after the interventions concluded, participants in both intervention groups indicated gains above that of a wait-listed control group. Further analyses underscore the special role of self-regulation in facilitating success in the interventions. Overall, the data underline the potential of strength-based interventions for improving human well-being.     

Integrating The Diverse Definitions of Happiness: A Time-Sequential Framework of Subjective Well-Being

The field of subjective well-being (SWB) is primarily concerned with people's evaluation of their lives; however, it includes a wide range of concepts, from momentary moods to global life satisfaction judgments. We propose a framework that integrates these diverse constructs. Our sequential temporal framework of subjective well-being describes experiences of well-being from the events and circumstances that cause evaluative reactions, through the emotional reactions to these events, to recall of these reactions, and finally to global judgments of well-being based on the previous stages. The hypothesized processes that translate the various steps in the sequence into one another are described, and supporting evidence is reviewed. We outline the implications of our framework for understanding subjective well-being, and discuss the research that is needed to further explore the proposed framework.