Scale Overview
The Subjective Happiness Scale – SHS was developed by Sonja Lyubomirsky & Heidi S. Lepper (1999). It is designed to measure Subjective Happiness. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 4 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Low), 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7 (High).
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 7. Interpretation guidelines:
- Lower than average happiness: 1 – 3
- Average happiness: 4 – 5
- Higher than average happiness: 5 – 7
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.79-0.94.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.