Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Psychometric Evaluation of the Tagalog and German Subjective Happiness Scales and a Cross-Cultural Comparison

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) has recently been developed as a more complete measure for the assessment of molar subjective happiness. In the present study, we report on the translation and validation of German and Tagalog versions of the SHS and conduct an initial cross-cultural examination of subjective happiness. In Study 1, 960 participants in Austria completed a German version of the SHS, which showed a unidimensional structure, good internal consistency, and good convergent validity with other measures of subjective well-being. In Study 2, 182 participants in the Philippines completed a Tagalog version of the scale, which likewise had a unidimensional structure, high internal consistency, and good convergent validity. Finally, the results of Study 3 indicate that there were significant cross-cultural differences in subjective happiness. Specifically, participants in individualist Austria and Britain had higher SHS scores than their counterparts in collectivist Malaysia and the Philippines. Limitations of these studies are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Issa, I., & Oudji, S. (1998). Culture and anxiety disorders. In S. Karazian & D. Evans (Eds.), Cultural clinical psychology: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 127–151). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, F. M., & Robinson, J. P. (1991). Measures of subjective well being. In J. P. Robinson, P. R. Shaver, & L. S. Wrightsman (Eds.), Measures of personality and social psychological attitudes (Vol. 1, pp. 61–114). London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, F. M., & Withey, S. B. (1976). Social indicators of well-being: America’s perception of life quality. New York, NY: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Behling, O., & Law, K. S. (2000). Translating questionnaires and other research instruments: Problems and solutions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson, C. (2000). The cultural psychology of self: Place, morality and art in human worlds. Philadelphia, PA: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowling, R. (1997). Measuring health: A review of quality of life measurement scales (2nd ed.). Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradburn, N. M. (1969). The structure of psychological well-being. Chicago, IL: Alpine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brislin, R. W. (1970). Back-translation for cross-cultural research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1, 185–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cattell, R. B. (1966). The scree test for the number of factors. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 1, 245–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherlin, A., & Reeder, L. G. (1975). The dimensions of psychological well being: A critical review. Sociological Methods Research, 4, 189–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Church, A. T., & Katigbak, M. S. (2002). Indigenization of psychology in the Philippines. International Journal of Psychology, 37, 129–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (1998). Subjective well-being and personality. In D. Barone, M. Hesen & V. van Hasselt (Eds.), Advanced personality (pp. 311–334). New York, NY: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal of a national index. American Psychologist, 55, 34–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Diener, M., & Diener, C. (1995a). Factors predicting the subjective well-being of nations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 851–864.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Very happy people. Psychological Science, 13, 81–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Suh, E. M. (Eds.). (2000). Cultural and subjective well-being. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Smith, H., & Shao, L. (1995b). National differences in reported subjective well-being: Why do they occur? Social Indicators Research, 34, 7–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furnham, A., & Baguma, P. (1999). Cross-cultural differences in explanations for health and illness: A British and Ugandan comparison. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 2, 121–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furnham, A., & Murao, M. (2000). A cross-cultural comparison of British and Japanese lay theories of schizophrenia. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 46, 4–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture’s consequences: International differences in work-related values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jorm, A. F., Nakane, Y., Christensen, H., Yoshioka, K., Griffiths, K. M., & Wata, Y. (2005). Public beliefs about treatment and outcome of mental disorders: A comparison of Australia and Japan. BMC Medicine, 3, 12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kitayama, S. (2002). Culture and basic psychological processes. Toward a system view of culture: Comment on Oyserman et al. (2002). Psychological Bulletin, 128, 89–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitayama, S., & Markus, H. R. (2000). The pursuit of happiness and the realization of empathy: Cultural patterns of self, social relations, and well-being. In E. Diener & E. M. Suh (Eds.), Cultural and subjective well-being (pp. 113–161). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitayama, S., Markus, H. R., & Kurokawa, M. (2000). Culture, emotion, and well-being: Good feelings in Japan and the United States. Cognition and Emotion, 14, 93–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S. (2001). Why are some people happier than others? The role of cognitive and motivational processes in well-being. American Psychologist, 56, 239–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1999). A measure of subjective happiness: Preliminary reliability and construct validation. Social Indicators Research, 46, 37–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological Review, 98, 224–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. (2004). Models of agency: Sociocultural diversity in the construction of action. In V. Murphy-Berman & J. J. Berman (Eds.), Nebraska Symposium on motivation: Volume 49. Cross-cultural differences in perspectives on the self (pp. 1–57). Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martín-Albo, J., Núñez, J. L., Navarro, J. G., & Grijalvo, F. (2007). The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: Translation and validation in university students. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 10, 458–467.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattei, D., & Schaefer, C. E. (2004). An investigation of validity of the Subjective Happiness Scale. Psychological Reports, 94, 288–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michalos, A. C. (1991). Global report on student well-being (Vols. 1–4). New York, NY: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oishi, S. (2002). The experiencing and remembering of well-being: A cross-cultural analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1398–1406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (1993). Review of the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Psychological Assessment, 5, 164–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedhazur, E. J., & Schmelkin, L. P. (1991). Measurement, design and analysis: An integrated approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogelia, P.-P., & Protacio-Marcelino, E. A. (2000). Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology): A legacy of Virgilio G. Enriquez. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 3, 49–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohner, R. (1984). Toward a conception of culture for cross-cultural psychology. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 15, 111–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., Sheldon, K. M., Kasser, T., & Deci, E. L. (1996). All goals are not created equal: An organismic perspective on the nature of goals and their regulation. In P. M. Gollwitzer & J. A. Bargh (Eds.), The psychology of action: Linking cognition and motivation to behavior (pp. 7–26). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 719–727.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (2003). Positive psychology: Fundamental assumptions. Psychologist, 16, 126–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimai, S., Otake, K., Utsuki, N., Ikemi, A., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2004). Development of a Japanese version of the subjective happiness scale (SHS), and examination of its validity and reliability. Japanese Journal of Public Health, 51, 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shweder, R. A., & Sullivan, M. A. (1993). Cultural psychology: Who needs it? Annual Review of Psychology, 44, 497–523.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silber, E., & Tippett, J. (1965). Self-esteem: Clinical assessment and measurement validation. Psychological Reports, 16, 1017–1071.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. B., & Bond, M. H. (1998). Social psychology across cultures (2nd ed.). London: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strack, E., Argyle, M., & Schwarts, N. (1991). Subjective well-being. Oxford: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suh, E., Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Triandis, H. C. (1998). The shifting basis of life satisfaction judgments across cultures: Emotions versus norms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 482–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swami, V. (2008). Translation and validation of the Malay Subjective Happiness Scale. Social Indicators Research 88(2), 347–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swami, V., & Chamorro-Premuzic, T. Psychometric evaluation of the Malay Satisfaction With Life Scale. Social Indicators Research (in press).

  • Swami, V., Furnham, A., Kannan, K., & Sinniah, D. (2008a). Lay beliefs about schizophrenia and its treatment in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 54, 164–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swami, V., Sinniah, D., Subramaniam, P., Pillai, S. K., Kannan, K., & Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2008b). An exploration of the Indecisiveness Scale in multi-ethnic Malaysia. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 39, 309–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SyCip, L., Asis, M. M. B., & Luna, E. (2000). The measurement of Filipino well-being. Quezon City: University of the Philippines, Center for Integrative Development Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uchida, Y., Kitayama, S., Mesquita, B., & Rayes, J. A. (2001). Interpersonal sources of happiness: The relative significance in three cultures. Paper presented at 13th annual convention of the American Psychological Society, Toronto, Canada.

  • Uchida, Y., Norasakkunkit, V., & Kitayama, S. (2004). Cultural constructions of happiness: Theory and empirical evidence. Journal of Happiness Studies, 5, 223–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veenhoven, R. (1991). Is happiness relative? Social Indicators Research, 24, 1–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warr, P. (1978). A study of psychological well-being. British Journal of Psychology, 69, 111–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells, L. E., & Marwell, G. (1976). Self-esteem: Its conceptualization and measurement. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Tanja Haubner for her assistance with the translation of the German version of the Subjective Happiness Scale.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London, W1B 2UW, UK

    Viren Swami & Laura Eisma

  2. Core Unit for Medical Education, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Stefan Stieger

  3. Department of Basic Psychological Research, School of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Martin Voracek & Stefan G. Dressler

  4. Department of Psychology, University College London, London, UK

    Adrian Furnham

Authors
  1. Viren Swami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stefan Stieger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Martin Voracek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stefan G. Dressler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Laura Eisma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Adrian Furnham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Viren Swami.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Swami, V., Stieger, S., Voracek, M. et al. Psychometric Evaluation of the Tagalog and German Subjective Happiness Scales and a Cross-Cultural Comparison. Soc Indic Res 93, 393–406 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9331-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9331-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation