Development of an event scale for perceiving well-being in high school students

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to develop an event scale for perceiving well-being in high school students (hereinafter called "the scale"). The scale includes ten items for one factor and measures the frequency with which students perceive experience-based well-being.Method This study comprised two surveys. Survey I was conducted for constructive concept validity based on the factor structural model, reliability for internal consistency, and clarifying each item's performance. The survey contents comprised the event frequency of perceived well-being. The constructive concept validity of the scale was examined with confirmatory factor analysis by structural equation modeling using data of 1,095 students. The reliability was tested using McDonald ω reliability coefficients for internal consistency. Each item's performance was examined using the item response theory. Survey II was conducted to examine constructive concept validity using hypotheses testing. The survey contents were as follows: event frequency of perceived well-being, satisfaction in life, and mood. For the measurement, the scale was used for event frequency of well-being, the life satisfaction scale was used for satisfaction, and the abridged version of mood scale was used for moods. For the statistical analysis, we constructed a model in which the event frequency of perceived well-being influences the level of life satisfaction, and a model where the event frequency of perceived well-being influences mood. We examined the fit of the models using data of 2,003 students following structural equation modeling.Result The results of Survey I showed that the model fit for data assumed for the scale was as follows: CFI=0.932, RMSEA=0.098, and ω reliability coefficients were 0.828. Discernment of each item was 0.65~1.06, and the difficulty level was -1.99~2.27, thus all values were acceptable. The results of Survey II showed that the mode fit for the data where event frequency of perceived well-being influences the level of life satisfaction was CFI=0.978, RMSEA=0.060; thus, the values were acceptable. Model fit for data where event frequency of perceived well-being influences mood was CFI=0.952, RMSEA=0.057; thus, values were acceptable.Conclusion The scale developed in this study supported the following: constructive concept validity based on the factor structural model, reliability with each item performance tested for internal consistency, and constructive concept validity using hypotheses testing. We believe that the scale will be helpful in developing support methods that enhance high school students' subjective sense of well-being.