Development and Initial Validation of a Multidimensional Scale Assessing Subjective Well-Being: The Well-Being Scale (WeBS)

Abstract

Numerous scales currently exist that assess well-being, but research on measures of well-being is still advancing. Conceptualization and measurement of subjective well-being have emphasized intrapsychic over psychosocial domains of optimal functioning, and disparate research on hedonic, eudaimonic, and psychological well-being lacks a unifying theoretical model. Lack of systematic investigations on the impact of culture on subjective well-being has also limited advancement of this field. The goals of this investigation were to (1) develop and validate a self-report measure, the Well-Being Scale (WeBS), that simultaneously assesses overall well-being and physical, financial, social, hedonic, and eudaimonic domains of this construct; (2) evaluate factor structures that underlie subjective well-being; and (3) examine the measure's psychometric properties. Three empirical studies were conducted to develop and validate the 29-item scale. The WeBS demonstrated an adequate five-factor structure in an exploratory structural equation model in Study 1. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a bifactor structure best fit the WeBS data in Study 2 and Study 3. Overall WeBS scores and five domain-specific subscale scores demonstrated adequate to excellent internal consistency reliability and construct validity. Mean differences in overall well-being and its five subdomains are presented for different ethnic groups. The WeBS is a reliable and valid measure of multiple aspects of well-being that are considered important to different ethnocultural groups.

Cognitive discrepancies, motivation and subjective well-being in people with schizophrenia

“…The 29-item Well-Being Scale (WeBS; Lui and Fernando, 2018 ) was used to assess overall and domain-specific SWB: financial, physical, social, hedonic, and eudemonic well-being. The 4-item Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS; Lyubomirsky and Lepper, 1999 ) assessed global subjective happiness.…”

Criterion Validity and Psychometric Properties of a Malay Version of the Short Multidimensional Inventory Lifestyle Evaluation-Confinement (SMILE-C) in a Sample of University Staff with Weight Problems

“…The WeBS was designed to measure the overall well-being in terms of the physical, financial, social, hedonic, and eudaimonic well-being [ 22 ]. The scale consists of 29 items on a Likert-type scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree).…”

Psychological Profiles of Successful Career Nurses: Implications for Managerial Psychology in an Era of Covid Challenge

“…Following correlational analysis of the personal and professional measures, including new measures focussing on aspects of self-actualization [56]- [58], the resulting matrix was subjected to an exploratory Factor Analysis, with three varimax rotated components selected explaining just over 50 percent of the total variance, and which fulfilled the criteria for the "scree test" for selection [59]. Loadings of items on these three rotated factors are shown in Table IV.…”