Abstract
Despite the wealth of accumulated research evaluating subjective wellbeing (SWB) in children and adults, the validity of scores
from parallel forms of SWB measures for each age group has yet to be empirically tested. This study examines the psychometric
equivalence of the child and adult forms of the personal wellbeing index (PWI) using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis.
The child sample comprised 1,029 Victorian high-school students (aged 11–20) sampled across three independent studies. The
adult sample comprised 1,965 Australian adults drawn from the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index. The results demonstrated strict
factorial invariance between both versions, suggesting that the PWI measures the same underlying construct in adolescent and
adult populations. These findings provide support for quantitative comparisons between adult and adolescent SWB data as valid.
from parallel forms of SWB measures for each age group has yet to be empirically tested. This study examines the psychometric
equivalence of the child and adult forms of the personal wellbeing index (PWI) using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis.
The child sample comprised 1,029 Victorian high-school students (aged 11–20) sampled across three independent studies. The
adult sample comprised 1,965 Australian adults drawn from the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index. The results demonstrated strict
factorial invariance between both versions, suggesting that the PWI measures the same underlying construct in adolescent and
adult populations. These findings provide support for quantitative comparisons between adult and adolescent SWB data as valid.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s11205-011-9964-9
- Authors
- Adrian J. Tomyn, Discipline of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Australia
- Matthew D. Fuller Tyszkiewicz, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
- Robert A. Cummins, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
- Journal Social Indicators Research
- Online ISSN 1573-0921
- Print ISSN 0303-8300