Authors
Viren Swami, Anglia Ruskin University
Stefan Stieger, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences
Martin Voracek, University of Vienna
Toivo Aavik, University of Tartu
Hamed Abdollahpour Ranjbar, Koç University
Sulaiman Olanrewaju Adebayo, Ekiti State University
Reza Afhami, Tarbiat Modares University
Oli Ahmed, University of Chittagong
Annie Aimé, Université de Québec en Outaouais
Marwan Akel, INSPECT-LB: National Institute of Public Health, Lebanon
Hussam Al Halbusi, Ahmed Bin Mohammad Military College
George Alexias, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
Khawla F. Ali, Royal College of Surgeons, Bahrain
Nursel Alp-Dal, Munzur University
Anas B. Alsalhani, Vision College of Dentistry and Nursing
Sara Álvarez-Solas, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam
Ana Carolina Soares Amaral, Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Southeast of Minas Gerais
Sonny Andrianto, Universitas Islam Indonesia
Trefor Aspden, Aberystwyth University
Marios Argyrides, Neapolis University Pafos
John Jamir Benzon R. Aruta, De La Salle University, Manila
Stephen Atkin, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland-Bahrain
Olusola Ayandele, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria
Migle Baceviciene, Klaipeda University
Radvan Bahbouh, Charles University, Prague
Andrea Ballesio, Sapienza University of Rome
David Barron, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
Ashleigh Bellard, Liverpool John Moores University
Sóley Sesselja Bender, University of Iceland
Kerime Derya Beydaǧ, Istanbul Gedik University
Gorana Birovljević, University of Rijeka
Marie-Ève Blackburn, Cégep de Jonquière
Teresita Borja-Alvarez, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ
Joanna Borowiec, Poznań University of Physical Education
Miroslava Bozogáňová, University of Prešov
Solfrid Bratland-Sanda, University of South-Eastern Norway
Matthew H. E. M. Browning, Clemson University
Anna Brytek-Matera, University of Wrocław
Marina Burakova, Aix-Marseille University
Yeliz Çakır-Koçak, Bartın University
Pablo Camacho, San Isidoro University Center
Vittorio Emanuele Camilleri, University of Malta
Valentina Cazzato, Liverpool John Moores University
Silvia Cerea, University of Padova
Apitchaya Chaiwutikornwanich, Chulalongkorn University
Trawin Chaleeraktrakoon, Thammasat University
Qing-Wei Chen, South China Normal University
Xin Chen, New York University
Chin-Lung Chien, Soochow University
Phatthanakit Chobthamkit, Thammasat University
Bovornpot Choompunuch, Mahasarakham University
Emilio J. Compte, Adolfo Ibáñez University
Jennifer Corrigan, University College Cork
Getrude Cosmas, Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Richard G. Cowden, Harvard University
Kamila Czepczor-Bernat, Medical University of Silesia
Marcin Czub, University of Wrocław
Wanderson Roberto da Silva, São Paulo State University
Mahboubeh Dadfar, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry
Simon E. Dalley, University of Groningen
Lionel Dany, Aix-Marseille University
Jesus Alfonsn D. Datu, The University of Hong Kong
Pedro Henrique Berbert de Carvalho, Federal University of Juiz de Fora
Gabriel Lins de Holanda Coelho, University College Cork
Avila Odia S. De Jesus, De La Salle University
Sonia Harzallah Debbabi, University of Sousse
Sandesh Dhakal, Tribhuvan University
Francesca Di Bernardo, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli
Donka D. Dimitrova, Medical University of Plovdiv
Jacinthe Dion, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Barnaby Dixson, University of the Sunshine Coast
Stacey M. Donofrio, University of Groningen
Marius Drysch, Ruhr University Bochum
Hongfei Du, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai
Angel M. Dzhambov, Medical University of Plovdiv
Claire El-Jor, Lebanese American University
Violeta Enea, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
Mehmet Eskin, Koc University
Farinaz Farbod, Alzahra University
Lorleen Farrugia, University of Malta
Leonie Fian, University of Vienna
Maryanne L. Fisher, Saint Mary’s University
Michał Folwarczny, University of Galway
David A. Frederick, Chapman UniversityFollow
Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Deakin University
Adrian Furnham, Norwegian Business School
Antonio Alías García, University of Almería
Shulamit Geller, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo
Marta Ghisi, University of Padova
Alireza Ghorbani, Payam Noor University
Maria Angeles Gomez Martinez, Pontifical University of Salamanca
Sarah Gradidge, Anglia Ruskin University
Sylvie Graf, Czech Academy of Sciences
Caterina Grano, Sapienza University of Rome
Gyöngyvér Gyene, Eötvös Loránd University
Souheil Hallit, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik
Motasem Hamdan, Al-Quds University
Jonathan E. Handelzalts, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Paul H. P. Hanel, University of Essex
Steven R. Hawks, Utah State University
Issa Hekmati, University of Maragheh
Mai Helmy, Sultan Qaboos University
Tetiana Hill, University of Hertfordshire
Farah Hina, University of Cambridge
Geraldine Holenweger, University of Bern
Martina Hřebíčková, Czech Academy of Sciences
Olasupo Augustine Ijabadeniyi, Afe Babalola University
Asma Imam, Al-Quds University
Başak İnce, King’s College London
Natalia Irrazabal, University of Palermo
Rasa Jankauskiene, Klaipeda University
Ding-Yu Jiang, National Chung Cheng University
Micaela Jiménez-Borja, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ
Verónica Jiménez-Borja, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ
Evan M. Johnson, Chapman University
Veljko Jovanović, University of Novi Sad
Marija Jović, University of Belgrade
Alessandra Costa Pereira Junqueira, University of São Paulo
Lisa-Marie Kahle, Medical School Hamburg
Adam Kantanista, Poznań University of Physical Education
Ahmet Karakiraz, Sakarya University
Ayşe Nur Karkin, Koc University
Erich Kasten, Practice for Psychotherapy, Travemünde, Germany
Salam Khatib, Al-Quds University
Nuannut Khieowan, Prince of Songkla University Phuket Campus
Patricia Joseph Kimong, Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Litza Kiropoulos, University of Melbourne
Joshua Knittel, University of Bern
Neena Kohli, University of Allahabad
Miriam Koprivnik, Institute of Anton Martin Slomsek
Aituar Kospakov, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
Magdalena Król-Zielińska, Poznań University of Physical Education
Isabel Krug, University of Melbourne
Garry Kuan, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Yee Cheng Kueh, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Omar Kujan, The University of Western Australia
Miljana Kukić, University of Rijeka
Sanjay Kumar, D.A.V. College, India
Vipul Kumar, Kashi Naresh Government Post-Graduate College
Nishtha Lamba, Middlesex University Dubai
Mary Anne Lauri, University of Malta
Maria Fernanda Laus, University of São Paulo
Liza April LeBlanc, Saint Mary’s University
Hyejoo J. Lee, Handong Global University
Małgorzata Lipowska, University of Gdańsk
Mariusz Lipowski, University WSB Merito
Caterina Lombardo, Sapienza University of Rome
Andrea Lukács, University of Miskolc
Christophe Maïano, Université du Québec en Outaouais
Sadia Malik, University of Sargodha
Mandar Manjary, D.A.V. College, India
Lidia Márquez Baldó, University of València
Martha Martinez-Banfi, Simón Bolívar University
Karlijn Massar, Maastricht University
Camilla Matera, University of Florence
Olivia McAnirlin, Clemson University
Moisés Roberto Mebarak, Universidad del Norte
Anwar Mechri, Eya Medical Centre, Tunisia
Juliana Fernandes Filgueiras Meireles, University of Oklahoma
Norbert Mesko, University of Pécs
Jacqueline Mills, Deakin University
Maya Miyairi, DePaul University
Ritu Modi, University of Allahabad
Adriana Modrzejewska, Medical University of Silesia
Justyna Modrzejewska, University of Bielsko-Biala
Kate E. Mulgrew, University of the Sunshine Coast
Taryn A. Myers, Virginia Wesleyan University
Hikari Namatame, University of Tsukuba
Mohammad Zakaria Nassani, Dar Al Uloom University
Amanda Nerini, University of Florence
Félix Neto, University of Porto
Joana Neto, Universidade Portucalense
Angela Nogueira Neves, Physical Education College of the Brazilian Army
Siu-Kuen Ng, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Devi Nithiya, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute
Jiaqing O, Aberystwyth University
Sahar Obeid, Lebanese American University
Camila Oda-Montecinos, Universidad de O’Higgins
Peter Olamakinde Olapegba, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria
Tosin Tunrayo Olonisakin, Ekiti State University
Salma Samir Omar, Alexandria University
Brynja Örlygsdóttir, University of Iceland
Emrah Özsoy, Sakarya University
Tobias Otterbring, University of Agder
Sabine Pahl, University of Vienna
Maria Serena Panasiti, Sapienza University of Rome
Yonguk Park, Kyungnam University
Muhammad Mainuddin Patwary, Khulna University
Tatiana Pethö, Institute of Social Sciences of the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences, Slovakia
Nadezhda Petrova, Medical University of Plovdiv
Jakob Pietschnig, University of Vienna
Sadaf Pourmahmoud, Tarbiat Modares University
Vishnunarayan Girishan Prabhu, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Vita Poštuvan, University of Primorska
Pavol Prokop, Comenius University in Bratislava
Virginia L. Ramseyer Winter, University of Missouri
Magdalena Razmus, Marie Curie-Skłodowska University
Taotao Ru, South China Normal University
Mirjana Rupar, Czech Academy of Sciences
Reza N. Sahlan, SUNY University at Buffalo
Mohammad Salah Hassan, A’Sharqiyah University
Anđela Šalov, University of Zadar
Saphal Sapkota, KOSHISH-National Mental Health Self-Help Organization, Nepal
Jacob Owusu Sarfo, University of Cape Coast
Yoko Sawamiya, University of Tsukuba
Katrin Schaefer, University of Vienna
Michael Schulte-Mecklenbeck, University of Bern
Veya Seekis, Griffith University
Kerim Selvi, Eskişehir Osmangazi University
Mehdi Sharifi, Islamic Azad University
Anita Shrivastava, Middlesex University Dubai
Rumana Ferdousi Siddique, University of Dhaka
Valdimar Sigurdsson, Reykjavik University
Vineta Silkane, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences
Ana Šimunić, University of Zadar
Govind Singh, University of Allahabad
Alena Slezáčková, Masaryk University
Christine Sundgot-Borgen, Oslo University Hospital
Gill Ten Hoor, Maastricht University
Passagorn Tevichapong, Chiang Mai University
Arun Tipandjan, International Centre for Psychological Counselling and Social Research, India
Jennifer Todd, Anglia Ruskin University
Constantinos Togas, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
Fernando Tonini, University of Palermo
Juan Camilo Tovar-Castro, University of the Andes
Lisa Katrine Jepsen Trangsrud, University of South-Eastern Norway
Pankaj Tripathi, University of Allahabad
Otilia Tudorel, West University of Timişoara
Tracy L. Tylka, The Ohio State University
Anar Uyzbayeva, Astana IT University
Zahir Vally, United Arab Emirates University
Edmunds Vanags, University of Latvia
Luis Diego Vega, Universida Latina de Costa Rica
Aitor Vicente-Arruebarrena, Pontifical University of Salamanca
Jose Vidal-Mollón, University of València
Roosevelt Vilar, Massey University
Hyxia Villegas, Universida Latina de Costa Rica
Mona Vintilă, West University of Timişoara
Christoph Wallner, Ruhr University Bochum
Mathew P. White, University of Vienna
Simon Whitebridge, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland-Bahrain
Sonja Windhager, University of Vienna
Kah Yan Wong, University of Nottingham Malaysia
Eric Kenson Yau, Lingnan University
Yuko Yamamiya, Temple University, Japan Campus
Victoria Wai Lan Yeung, Lingnan University
Marcelo Callegari Zanetti, São Judas Tadeu University
Magdalena Zawisza, Anglia Ruskin University
Nadine Zeeni, Lebanese American University
Martina Zvaríková, Comenius University in Bratislava
Ulrich S. Tran, University of Vienna
Publication Date
1-22-2025
Abstract
The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset–with data collected between 2020 and 2022 –to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that configural and metric invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional SWLS model has universal applicability. Full scalar invariance was achieved across gender identities and age groups. Based on alignment optimisation methods, partial scalar invariance was achieved across all but three national groups and across all languages represented in the BINS. There were large differences in latent SWLS means across nations and languages, but negligible-to-small differences across gender identities and age groups. Across nations, greater life satisfaction was significantly associated with greater financial security and being in a committed relationship or married. The results of this study suggest that the SWLS largely assesses a common unidimensional construct of life satisfaction irrespective of respondent characteristics (i.e., national group, gender identities, and age group) or survey presentation (i.e., survey language). This has important implications for the assessment of life satisfaction across nations and provides information that will be useful for practitioners aiming to promote subjective well-being internationally.
Recommended Citation
Swami V, Stieger S, Voracek M, Aavik T, Abdollahpour Ranjbar H, Adebayo SO, et al. (2025) Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. PLoS ONE 20(1):e0313107. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313107.
Comments
This article was originally published in PLoS ONE, volume 20, issue 1, in 2025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313107