Factor Structure of Subjective Well-Being in Iran

J Pers Assess. 2016 Jul-Aug;98(4):435-43. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2015.1117473. Epub 2015 Dec 16.

Abstract

Subjective well-being is predominantly conceived as having 3 components: life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. This article reports 2 studies that seek to investigate the factor structure of subjective well-being in Iran. One-, two-, and three-factor models of subjective well-being were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The results of Study 1 (N = 2,197) and Study 2 (N = 207) show that whereas the 1- and 2-factor models do not fit the data well, the 3-factor model provides an adequate fit. These results indicate that the 3 components of subjective well-being constitute 3 interrelated, yet distinct, factors. The analyses demonstrate how traditional CFA and ESEM can be combined to obtain a clear picture of the measurement model of subjective well-being and generate new insights about individual items and cross-loadings needed to derive more parsimonious measures. Nuances relating to the assessment of subjective well-being in more collectivist and Muslim countries are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Iran
  • Male
  • Mental Health*
  • Models, Psychological*
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Personality*
  • Psychometrics / methods