Scale Overview
The Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale – MSLSS was developed by Scott Huebner, Ph.D. (2001). It is designed to measure Life Satisfaction. The scale is intended for use with Children and adolescents (grades 3-12).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 40 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Family, Friends, School, Living Environment, Self.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Family |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
7 |
| Friends |
8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16 |
9 |
| School |
17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24 |
8 |
| Living Environment |
25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33 |
9 |
| Self |
34,35,36,37,38,39,40 |
7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, 4 = Almost always.
The scale includes 10 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 1 to 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Life Satisfaction: 1 – 2
- Moderate Life Satisfaction: 2 – 3
- High Life Satisfaction: 3 – 4
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.70 – 0.90.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.