Related Experiment Videos
Measurement of life satisfaction. Developing a life satisfaction scale
R K Salokangas1, M Joukamaa, V Mattila
1Department of Public Health, University of Tampere, Finland.
Comprehensive Gerontology. Section B, Behavioural, Social, and Applied Sciences
|August 1, 1988
Summary
This study developed a Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS) for Finnish elders, offering a reliable tool to measure well-being in older adults. The scale effectively assesses psychic balance, past life assessment, and present happiness.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychometrics
- Sociology
Background:
- Assessing life satisfaction is crucial for understanding the psychosocial well-being of aging populations.
- Existing measures may not adequately capture the nuances of life satisfaction in specific cultural contexts, such as Finland.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a culturally relevant Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS) for elderly Finnish individuals.
- To create a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring life satisfaction in non-institutionalized older adults.
Main Methods:
- Development of an initial Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS) administered to 339 non-institutionalized elderly Finns.
- Psychometric evaluation including reliability analysis (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89) and factor analysis.
- Creation of a 26-item (LSS-A) and a 12-item (LSS-B) version of the scale.
Main Results:
- The 26-item LSS-A demonstrated high reliability and factor analysis revealed three components: psychic balance, assessment of past life, and present happiness.
- The abbreviated 12-item LSS-B emphasized psychic balance and present happiness.
- The scale showed good reliability and promising validity, indicated by correlations with interview-based life satisfaction measures.
Conclusions:
- The developed Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS) is a reliable and easy-to-use instrument for assessing life satisfaction in elderly Finnish populations.
- Further validation studies across diverse elderly populations are recommended to confirm the scale's applicability and generalizability.