The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)
The Satisfaction with Life Scale is a well-validated measure of subjective well-being, designed to assess your overall satisfaction with life as a whole.
In most ways my life is close to my ideal.
The conditions of my life are excellent.
I am satisfied with my life.
So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
About the Life Satisfaction Scale
Developed by Ed Diener and colleagues in 1985, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a short 5-item instrument designed to measure global cognitive judgments of satisfaction with one's life.
Unlike scales that measure specific life domains (such as health or relationships), the SWLS allows respondents to integrate and weight different aspects of their lives in whatever way they choose.
The scale has shown:
- Strong reliability and validity across different populations
- Sensitivity to change in life satisfaction over time
- Correlation with other measures of subjective well-being
- Usefulness in both clinical and research settings
Remember that life satisfaction can change over time and is influenced by both long-term circumstances and recent events. Consider retaking this assessment periodically to track changes in your overall life satisfaction.