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Analysing Comparability of Four Multi-Item Well-being Psychometric Scales Among 35 Countries Using Children’s Worlds 3rd Wave 10 and 12-year-olds Samples

Author

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  • Ferran Casas

    (Research Institute On Quality of Life, University of Girona
    Universidad Andrés Bello)

  • Mònica González-Carrasco

    (Research Institute On Quality of Life, University of Girona)

Abstract

The third Wave Children’s Worlds dataset included data obtained from four self-reported well-being multi-item psychometric scales. Three of these were new improved versions of scales used in the second wave and the fourth had not been previously tested for reliability or comparability. The four scales were administered to children in the 10-year-olds age group in 35 countries and in the 12-year-olds age group in 30 countries. Many of these countries were not involved in the second wave. Consequently, the fit for all of these scales needs to be checked and its comparability among the new set of countries analysed. Based on our analysis, there can be no doubt that the most advisable psychometric scale for use in international comparisons is the 5-item version of the context-free subjective well-being scale for both the 10 and 12yo groups, because it displays metric invariance. Scalar invariance for this scale is only supported with a semi-partial constraint, because its item number 4 (Things in my life are excellent) seems to be very sensitive to the socio-economic level of the country, and generally tends to explain less variance than any other. Therefore, great caution must be used when comparing mean scores for this scale across countries. Items on the other three scales would appear to have different cultural meanings, depending on the country, as they do not display metric or scalar invariance across countries. However, the positive and negative affects scale deserves special attention, because the in-country correlation between its two components displays an interesting diversity between countries, probably due to cultural factors that should be further explored. Although statistics obtained using the overall index for any of these three scales cannot be meaningfully compared across countries, their fit is excellent and their use is deemed appropriate for in-country analysis. Further exploration is needed to test whether non-comparability is an issue with only some specific items, and whether they are comparable between some of the countries and not others.

Suggested Citation

  • Ferran Casas & Mònica González-Carrasco, 2021. "Analysing Comparability of Four Multi-Item Well-being Psychometric Scales Among 35 Countries Using Children’s Worlds 3rd Wave 10 and 12-year-olds Samples," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 1829-1861, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:14:y:2021:i:5:d:10.1007_s12187-021-09825-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-021-09825-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sarstedt, Marko & Diamantopoulos, Adamantios & Salzberger, Thomas, 2016. "Should we use single items? Better not," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 3199-3203.
    2. Robert Cummins & Helen Nistico, 2002. "Maintaining Life Satisfaction: The Role of Positive Cognitive Bias," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 37-69, March.
    3. Marne Arthaud-day & Joseph Rode & Christine Mooney & Janet Near, 2005. "The Subjective Well-being Construct: A Test of its Convergent, Discriminant, and Factorial Validity," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 74(3), pages 445-476, December.
    4. Ferran Casas, 2017. "Analysing the Comparability of 3 Multi-Item Subjective Well-Being Psychometric Scales Among 15 Countries Using Samples of 10 and 12-Year-Olds," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(2), pages 297-330, June.
    5. Julie Seligson & E. Huebner & Robert Valois, 2003. "Preliminary Validation of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 121-145, February.
    6. Robert Cummins, 1998. "The Second Approximation to an International Standard for Life Satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 307-334, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aline Lopes Moreira & Jorge Castellá Sarriera & Leonardo Fernandes Martins & Lívia Maria Bedin & Maria Angela Mattar Yunes & Luciana Cassarino Perez & Murilo Ricardo Zibetti, 2022. "Psychometric Properties of Children’s Subjective Well-Being Scales: a Multigroup Study Investigating School Type, Gender, Age and Region of Children in the South and Southeast Regions of Brazil," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(2), pages 657-679, April.
    2. Mònica González-Carrasco & Lívia Bedin & Ferran Casas & Jaime Alfaro & Jorge Castellá Sarriera, 2023. "Safety, Perceptions of Good Treatment and Subjective Well-Being in 10- and 12-year-old Children in Three Countries," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(3), pages 1521-1544, June.
    3. Ihsana Sabriani Borualogo & Ferran Casas, 2023. "Bullying Victimisation and Children’s Subjective Well-being: A Comparative Study in Seven Asian Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(1), pages 1-27, February.
    4. Ditzel, Loreto & Casas, Ferran & Torres-Vallejos, Javier & Reyes, Fernando & Alfaro, Jaime, 2022. "Children participating in after-school programs in Chile: Subjective well-being, satisfaction with free time use and satisfaction with the program," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    5. Sergiu Bălțătescu & Tomasz Strózik & Kadri Soo & Dagmar Kutsar & Dorota Strózik & Claudia Bacter, 2023. "Subjective Well-being of Children Left Behind by Migrant Parents in Six European Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 1941-1969, October.
    6. Son, Woo-Jung & Bae, Sung-Man, 2022. "The relationship between human rights, negative affect, bullying victimization, and life satisfaction among Korean adolescents: A national sample study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    7. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Alexandra Sandu & Chris Taylor & Jennifer May Hampton, 2024. "Children’s Subjective Well-Being During the Coronavirus Pandemic," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(1), pages 309-347, February.
    8. Ferran Casas & Mònica González-Carrasco & Xavier Oriol & Sara Malo, 2022. "Economic and Children’s Subjective Well-Being Indicators at the National Level in 35 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(5), pages 1539-1563, October.
    9. Veljko Jovanović & Maksim Rudnev & Naved Iqbal & Sean P. M. Rice & Magdalena Żemojtel-Piotrowska, 2022. "Cross-Cultural Measurement of Positive and Negative Emotions in Adolescence: Evidence from Three Countries," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3143-3160, October.
    10. Ihsana Sabriani Borualogo & Ferran Casas, 2023. "Sibling Bullying, School Bullying, and Children’s Subjective Well-Being Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(3), pages 1203-1232, June.
    11. Jose Marquez & Louise Lambert & Megan Cutts, 2023. "Geographic, Socio-Demographic and School Type Variation in Adolescent Wellbeing and Mental Health and Links with Academic Competence in the United Arab Emirates," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 797-836, April.
    12. Rodrigo Moreta-Herrera & Xavier Oriol-Granado & Mònica González-Carrasco & Diego Vaca-Quintana, 2023. "Examining the Relationship between Subjective Well-being and Psychological Well-being among 12-Year-Old-Children from 30 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 1851-1870, October.
    13. Ana Blasco-Belled & Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas, 2023. "Filling the 8-Year-Old Gap in the Study of Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Assessment and Validation of a Subjective Well-Being Measure Across 19 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(3), pages 1363-1380, June.

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