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Happiness in Italy: Translation, Factorial Structure and Norming of the Subjective Happiness Scale in a Large Community Sample

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  • Luca Iani
  • Marco Lauriola
  • Kristin Layous
  • Saulo Sirigatti

Abstract

The Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) is one of the most commonly used measures of happiness. Many translations and validation studies have been carried out in different countries and languages. The aim of the current paper was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the SHS and to provide normative data. The SHS was administered with life satisfaction items, anxiety and depression scales to a community sample of 993 participants, aged 18–85 years, living in different parts of Italy. Age and gender distributions were stratified according to the population pyramid. Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the unidimensionality of the SHS, with acceptable fit indexes (NNFI = .96; CFI = .99; RMSEA = .08; 95 % C.I. [.04–.12]). Multi-group analyses supported total invariance of the SHS measurement model for males and females, and partial invariance for younger (i.e., 18–44 years old) and older (i.e., 45–85 years old) participants. Significant correlations with satisfaction items, anxiety and depression provided evidence for concurrent validity. These findings showed that the Italian SHS translation is a reliable and valid tool, which adds to existing translations and validation studies in different countries and languages. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

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  • Luca Iani & Marco Lauriola & Kristin Layous & Saulo Sirigatti, 2014. "Happiness in Italy: Translation, Factorial Structure and Norming of the Subjective Happiness Scale in a Large Community Sample," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(3), pages 953-967, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:118:y:2014:i:3:p:953-967
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-013-0468-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Viren Swami & Stefan Stieger & Martin Voracek & Stefan Dressler & Laura Eisma & Adrian Furnham, 2009. "Psychometric Evaluation of the Tagalog and German Subjective Happiness Scales and a Cross-Cultural Comparison," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 93(2), pages 393-406, September.
    2. Viren Swami, 2008. "Translation and Validation of the Malay Subjective Happiness Scale," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 88(2), pages 347-353, September.
    3. Sonja Lyubomirsky & Heidi Lepper, 1999. "A Measure of Subjective Happiness: Preliminary Reliability and Construct Validation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 137-155, February.
    4. Paola Spagnoli & António Caetano & Ana Silva, 2012. "Psychometric Properties of a Portuguese Version of the Subjective Happiness Scale," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 105(1), pages 137-143, January.
    5. Saulo Sirigatti & Ilaria Penzo & Luca Iani & Annamaria Mazzeschi & Halina Hatalskaja & Enrichetta Giannetti & Cristina Stefanile, 2013. "Measurement Invariance of Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scales Across Italian and Belarusian Students," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 113(1), pages 67-80, August.
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