The Satisfaction with Life Scale in Adolescent Samples: Measurement Invariance across 24 Countries and Regions, Age, and Gender

Measurement of adolescent life satisfaction across cultures has not received much
attention in previous empirical research. The present study evaluated measurement
invariance of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) among adolescents in 24
countries and regions (N = 22,710; age range = 13–19 years; 53% female). A singlefactor
model with residual covariance between a pair of items tapping past life satisfaction
fitted well in 19 countries and regions and showed a partial metric invariance.
In a subset of nine countries and regions, partial scalar invariance was supported.
Partial metric invariance across all 24 countries and regions was achieved when custom
model modifications in five countries and regions were included. Three SWLS
items showed evidence of noninvariance across cultures. The measurement model
was found to operate similarly across gender and age. Our findings suggest that caution
is needed when using the SWLS for measuring life satisfaction among adolescents
from different cultures.