A structural integration of the Affect Balance Scale and the Life Satisfaction Index A

This study integrates two popular measures of subjective well-being: the Affect Balance Scale (ABS) and the Life Satisfaction Index A (LSIA). Eight ABS items and seven LSIA items are hypothesized to measure four dimensions including congruence, happiness, positive affect, and negative affect. In addition, a second-order factor identified as subjective well-being is postulated to account for the correlations among these four dimensions. This model is examined empirically by using data from the Harris 1974 National Council on Aging survey, Myths and Realities of Aging in America. The proposed formulation is supported and consistently replicated across four randomly divided subsamples.