Differential Validity of Global and Domain-Specific Measures of Life Satisfaction in the Context of Schooling

Abstract

We compared the validity of a global versus a domain-specific measure of life satisfaction in predicting behavioral and achievement outcome variables among a sample of adolescents in the context of schooling. The sample included 694 middle school students (7th and 8th grade) from a suburban school district located in the Southeastern United States who completed self-report measures of life satisfaction, engagement, behavior, and grades. Actual grade point average (GPA) and standardized achievement test scores were reported by the school. Based on previous research and specificity matching theory, we hypothesized that compared to a measure of global life satisfaction, student scores on a measure of school satisfaction would demonstrate greater evidence of concurrent, short-term predictive, and incremental validity in relation to a variety of measures of academic performance and school-related behavior. The results did not uniformly support the hypotheses. Indeed, measures of global life satisfaction showed greater concurrent, predictive, and incremental validity across a variety of the school-based criterion measures. The need for further research is highlighted as well as the relevance of the findings for comprehensive assessments of child well-being.