Stability of Adolescents’ Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Reports

Abstract

Eighty-four students were administered the Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS) on three occasions, 1 year apart (Grades 8, 9, and 10). The 1-year stability coefficients ranged from .29 to .59, whereas the 2-year stability coefficients ranged from .41 to .59. MSLSS mean scores were consistent across administrations, with the exception of satisfaction with living environment in which scores were lower in Grade 10 relative to the previous two grades. Although a fair degree of stability was observed across most MSLSS domains, differences in the magnitudes of the coefficients across domains and time intervals suggested the importance of contextual factors in understanding the nature of the life satisfaction construct among adolescents as well as implications for the use of total and domain-specific life satisfaction reports as outcomes measures.

Keywords

adolescence life satisfaction stability

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