The Factor Structure of Different Subjective Well-Being Measures and its Correlates in the Croatian Sample of Children and Adolescents

The transition from middle childhood to early adolescence is one of the crucial developmental periods for studying children’s subjective well-being (SWB). For developmental trends in SWB to be accurately estimated, it is necessary to demonstrate the measurement invariance of its measures. The first goal of this study was to explore the structure and measurement invariance with respect to age and gender of several common measures of child and adolescent subjective well-being. A tripartite higher-order model of subjective well-being was also tested, and its measurement invariance was investigated as well. Lastly, common sociodemographic (age and gender) and emotional (emotional clarity and regulation) correlates of SWB were investigated. Overall, 1534 children ( M age =10.53, SD = 1.15) gave data about their subjective well-being by filling out context-free and domain-based life satisfaction measures, and positive and negative affect questionnaires. Children also gave data on their emotional clarity and emotion regulation strategies usage. Measurement invariance was supported for all SWB measures, as well as for the tripartite higher-order model consisting of context-free life satisfaction, and negative and positive affect. Small gender and age differences were detected with boys and younger children having somewhat higher SWB on some of the measures included. Emotional clarity and emotion regulation consistently predicted all latent SWB measures while explaining quarter-to-half variance in SWB depending on the measure. Results show comparability of SWB structures across gender and age groups, and consistent links between SWB and emotional skills.