Psychology & well-being
Life satisfaction scale: what it is and how to measure it
- Concept
- Life satisfaction
- Field
- Psychology & well-being
- Scales in the library
- 1
- Items
- 5
Life satisfaction is a person's overall evaluation of their life by their own chosen standards; it is the cognitive component of subjective well-being. The SWLS of Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin (1985) has only 5 items, one factor, and takes about a minute to complete. In Vietnam, the SWLS is often an outcome variable in studies on student mental health, work-life balance, older adults, and the effects of social media.
Comparing the scales
| Scale | Author (year) | Items | Response format | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satisfaction With Life (SWLS) Satisfaction With Life Scale | Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Griffin (1985) | 5 | Likert 7-point | Choose when measuring general life satisfaction; 5 items, 7-point Likert, no reverse-coded items. |
Items of each scale
Original English wording from the published source. Replace placeholders such as [system] or
[brand] with what your study is about, and pilot the questionnaire with 20 to 30 respondents first.
Satisfaction With Life (SWLS) · Satisfaction With Life Scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| SWLS1 | In most ways my life is close to my ideal. |
| SWLS2 | The conditions of my life are excellent. |
| SWLS3 | I am satisfied with my life. |
| SWLS4 | So far I have gotten the important things I want in life. |
| SWLS5 | If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing. |
Source: Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Griffin (1985). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Satisfaction With Life Scale.
Tips
- The interpretation bands (31-35 extremely satisfied ... 5-9 extremely dissatisfied) apply to the total score on the 7-point scale; if you change to 5 points or report the mean, these bands no longer apply.
- SWLS5 ('if I could live my life over') often loads lowest among young people; consider the theoretical reasons before dropping the item.
- 'Ideal' translated as 'perfect' is easily misread; run cognitive interviews with a few people before the main survey.
Once you have a scale, put the concept in the research model drawer to state your hypotheses, work out the minimum sample size, and after data collection check reliability with the Cronbach's alpha calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Has the SWLS been validated in Vietnam?
Yes. Arrindell et al. (2022, IJERPH 19(6), 3460) tested measurement invariance and construct validity of the SWLS on 1,073 volunteers in Ho Chi Minh City. Among first-year students, Trinh et al. (2025) reported a Cronbach's alpha of 0.81.
Does the SWLS have reverse-coded items?
No. Summing the 5 items gives 5-35; a score of 20 is neutral under the authors' interpretation bands.
Do I need permission to use the SWLS?
Not for non-commercial purposes such as research, provided you cite the authors properly, according to Diener's official page.
References
- Arrindell, W. A., Checa, I., Espejo, B., Chen, I.-H., Carrozzino, D., Vu-Bich, P., Dambach, H., & Vagos, P. (2022). Measurement invariance and construct validity of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) in community volunteers in Vietnam. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(6), 3460. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063460
- Trinh, H. H., Nguyen, T. T., Nguyen, T. Q., Ngo, N. T., Nguyen, S. T., Nguyen, C. V., Mac, T. D., & Nguyen, T. H. (2025). Impacts of adverse childhood experiences on mental health and satisfaction with life in first-year college students: Results from a cross-sectional study in Vietnam. Psychiatry Investigation, 22(8), 939–948. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2025.0068