Scale Overview
The Steen Happiness Index – SHI was developed by Martin E. P. Seligman, Tracy A. Steen, Nansook Park, Christopher Peterson (2005). It is designed to measure Subjective Happiness. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Pleasure, Engagement, Meaning.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Pleasure |
5,7,10,12,13,15,16,19 |
8 |
| Engagement |
1,4,6,8,14,17 |
6 |
| Meaning |
2,3,9,11,18,20 |
6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Statement A (Lowest Happiness), 2 = Statement B, 3 = Statement C, 4 = Statement D, 5 = Statement E (Highest Happiness).
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 20 to 100. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Happiness: 20 – 40
- Average Happiness: 41 – 79
- High Happiness: 80 – 100
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 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.