Theory and Validity of Life Satisfaction Scales

Apr 19, 2026

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Review of the reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of global life satisfaction scales used in research and national well-being accounts. Life satisfaction measures show stability under unchanged conditions while detecting changes tied to life circumstances. Evidence for validity includes cross-national and group differences linked to objective conditions, convergence with non–self-report measures, genetic and physiological associations, systematic change around major life events, and predictive value for future behaviors such as suicide. Influences from question order, mood, and presentation mode are discussed and largely controllable; judgment processes emphasize attention, values, standards, and top-down effects.

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Apr 19, 2026