Validity Evidence and Reliability of a Subjective Well-Being Scale: A Psychometric Network Analysis

Abstract

The objective of the present research was to analyze the psychometric properties of a short scale of subjective well-being based on the metrics corresponding to the network models. A total of 3196 young people and adults between 18 and 56 years of age (mean = 25.88; SD = 8.81) from three cities in Peru were selected by non-probabilistic purposive sampling and divided into two phases: exploratory (n = 642) and confirmatory (n = 2527). The methodology used was network analysis to determine internal structure and reliability. Evidence in relation to another variable was explored by latent network modeling using Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-2) as convergence measures. The results reveal that the SWB is a unidimensional measure both in its exploratory phase by Exploratory Graphical Analysis (EGA) and confirmatory (CFI = 1.00; RMSEA = 0.00). The reliability obtained through structural consistency identified that 100% of the time only one dimension was obtained; in addition, the items were stable because they replicated within the empirical dimension in all cases. The relationship with the PHQ-2 (r = −.44) and GAD-2 (r = −.34) maintained the expected direction and strength. The current data lays the groundwork for future research on subjective well-being in Peru, particularly because we now have a quick, valid, and reliable measure that can contribute to the scientific literature on subjective well-being, which is an intriguing construct to investigate due to its association with basic human needs and the prevention of mental health problems in a community.