Examining the Subjective Well-Being in a Students’ Sample: Characteristics and Structure

Abstract

Well-being is vital for the optimal functioning of students in universities. The present study aimed, on the one hand, the analysis of the subjective well-being of a group of students and, on the other, to test the structure of subjective well-being in the case of the same sample students (N = 516; Mage = 20,09). To this purpose, we used scales that measure both the cognitive and affective components of the subjective well-being: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) which takes into account the individual's satisfaction regarding his own life and Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) for measuring positive and negative feelings and experiences. Descriptive analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used as statistical strategies. The results show medium to high values of life satisfaction, positive and negative affect. Female subjects report negative affective states in a higher degree compared to male subjects. Regarding the structure of the subjective well-being, CFA leads to a three-factors model that proves the premise that subjective well-being is a multidimensional construct that includes life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect (χ² = 2,53; CFI = .95; RMSEA = .055; SRMR = .048). The result, also, demonstrates that the three components of subjective well-being, satisfaction with life, positive affect and negative affect, are relatively independent and moderately correlated. Further studies are needed to verify the subjective well-being structure on other peoples categories and to include other well-being components in its structural analysis.