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Satisfaction with Life Scale

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Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences
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Definition

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a five-item measure that is scored on a seven-point Likert-type scale with response options ranging from 1 = extremely dissatisfied to 7 = extremely satisfied. The SWLS is a copyrighted instrument and has been translated into over 30 different languages (https://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~ediener/SWLS.html). Use of the instrument is free of charge and does not require permission for use under the agreement that users will give proper credit to the authors of the scale (Diener et al. 1985). The SWLS may be administered in paper-and-pencil format, or easily adapted for use through electronic survey software applications.

Satisfaction with life as a whole refers to subjective well-being and constitutes a cognitive, overall judgment. This judgment results from comparing one’s own circumstances with what is considered an appropriate standard (Diener et al. 1985). Satisfaction with life can be described in different terms, which...

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References

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Correspondence to Jody A. Worley .

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Worley, J.A. (2017). Satisfaction with Life Scale. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_76-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_76-1

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