Considering a Bifactor Model of Children’s Subjective Well-Being Using a Multinational Sample

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In the current study, we consider the viability of a bifactor model of children’s subjective well-being (SWB) by contributing to the discussion on the dimensionality of children’s SWB. We specify a general factor of SWB and four group factors (context-free cognitive life satisfaction, domain-based cognitive life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) using structural equation modelling and parceling. We used data from the Children’s Worlds International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (N = 92 782). Our analysis strategy included confirmatory factor analysis and bifactor analysis. We found a good fit for the specified bifactor model, with all items loading onto a general factor and group factors. For the bifactor analysis, after controlling for the general factor, the loadings on the group factors were substantially lower, and did not meet the criteria of acceptability for bifactor indices thresholds. The common variance of the items is largely explained by the general factor; thus, the specification of the group factors cannot be justified. Further, we found an excellent fit for a model using the parceling approach. From a measurement perspective, the construct of children’s SWB can potentially be measured as a unidimensional construct. Thus, it may be feasible to report a total score for children’s SWB, as opposed to scores on the individual subscales (group factors). Applied researchers can thus confidently use SWB as a unidimensional construct or follow the parceling approach in the structural equation model context.