The Predictive Validity of Item Effect Variables in the Satisfaction With Life Scale for Psychological and Physical Health
Sengewald MA, Erhardt TH, Gnambs T (2023)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2023
Journal
Book Volume: 30
Pages Range: 2461-2475
Journal Issue: 8
DOI: 10.1177/10731911221149949
Abstract
Although the Satisfaction with Life Scale strives to capture a single dimension, describing respondents’ satisfaction with life as a whole, individual items might also capture unique aspects of life satisfaction leading to some form of multidimensionality. Such systematic item-specific variance can be viewed as a content-laden secondary trait. Information on the nomological net and predictive validity can be useful to aid the interpretation of these item-specific effects. Therefore, the present study on N = 2,543 Dutch respondents adopts revised latent state-trait theory to disentangle common construct variance, random measurement error, and person-specific item effects in the Satisfaction with Life Scale across three measurement occasions. The reported analyses not only demonstrate how to examine item-specific multidimensionality in longitudinal data but also emphasize how different identification constraints for the latent variable lead to different interpretations. Moreover, the predictive validity of item effect variables for the prediction of psychological and physical health is examined. A cross-validation with the same sample at a later measurement period and robustness checks with incomplete data, support our findings on the substantive value of a multidimensional specification of the Satisfaction with Life Scale for substantive analyses. Finally, the contributions of person-specific item effects for psychological assessments are discussed.
Involved external institutions
Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Sengewald, M.A., Erhardt, T.H., & Gnambs, T. (2023). The Predictive Validity of Item Effect Variables in the Satisfaction With Life Scale for Psychological and Physical Health. Assessment, 30(8), 2461-2475. https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911221149949
MLA:
Sengewald, Marie Ann, Tina H. Erhardt, and Timo Gnambs. "The Predictive Validity of Item Effect Variables in the Satisfaction With Life Scale for Psychological and Physical Health." Assessment 30.8 (2023): 2461-2475.
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