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Preliminary Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of Two Brief Measures of Life Satisfaction with Italian Children

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Journal of Well-Being Assessment

Abstract

The main aim of our study was to develop Italian versions of the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS) and of the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS). We assessed aspects of the reliability and validity of the self-report measures among primary-school children. A sample of 156 Italian primary-school children (Mage = 9.59, SD = 1.00) was administered self-report measures of life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. Moreover, teachers reported on students’ emotional symptoms, peer problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention and prosocial behaviour. The expected one-factor model was confirmed for both the SLSS and the BMSLSS. The SLSS and the BMSLSS total scores were intercorrelated (r = .58, p < .001), and the two scales showed Cronbach’s α values of .77 and .70, respectively. The SLSS and the BMSLSS total scores correlated significantly and meaningfully with measures of prosocial behaviour and peer problems. Finally, the SLSS (but not the BMLSS) total score was associated with a hyperactivity measure (r = −.24, p = .003). Moreover, both the SLSS and BMLSS total life satisfaction scores significantly and moderately related to a measure of depressive symptoms. Finally, as evidence of discriminant validity, the scores on most of the anxiety measures related significantly to scores on both life satisfaction measures, but to a lesser extent than the scores on the depressive symptom measure. Our research adds to the growing literature addressing life satisfaction among Italian children. The results provide preliminary evidence for the use of the SLSS and the BMSLSS with Italian primary-school children.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy

    Marcella Caputi

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126, Milan, Italy

    Gaia Perego

  3. Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, 1512 Pendleton Street, Barnwell College, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    Scott Huebner

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  1. Marcella Caputi
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  2. Gaia Perego
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Correspondence to Marcella Caputi.

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Apppendix

Apppendix

1.1 Items of the Italian Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (Italian SLSS)

  1. 1.

    La mia vita procede bene.

  2. 2.

    La mia vita va bene così.

  3. 3.

    Vorrei cambiare molte cose nella mia vita. (r)

  4. 4.

    Vorrei avere un tipo diverso di vita. (r)

  5. 5.

    Ho una bella vita.

  6. 6.

    Ho quello che voglio nella vita.

  7. 7.

    La mia vita è migliore rispetto a quella che ha la maggior parte degli altri ragazzi.

Notes. (r) = Item reverse scored. A copy of the scale (incl. Answer format and instruction) can be obtained from the first author.

1.2 Items of the Italian Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (Italian BMSLSS)

  1. 1.

    Descriverei la soddisfazione per la mia vita familiare come:

  2. 2.

    Descriverei la soddisfazione per le mie amicizie come:

  3. 3.

    Descriverei la soddisfazione per la mia esperienza scolastica come:

  4. 4.

    Descriverei la soddisfazione di me stesso/a come:

  5. 5.

    Descriverei la soddisfazione rispetto a dove vivo come:

Notes. A copy of the scale (incl. Answer format and instruction) can be obtained from the first author.

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Caputi, M., Perego, G. & Huebner, S. Preliminary Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of Two Brief Measures of Life Satisfaction with Italian Children. J well-being assess 3, 1–16 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41543-019-00018-9

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