The Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale as an instrument for assessing quality – a psychometric evaluation

PURPOSE: Basic indices of reliability, validity, and feasibility of the Polish language version of the Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale (SLDS) were assessed – this is one of the self-assessment measures of the subjective quality of life. METHODS: The combined database included 1,246 people from previous studies on stigma (n = 316) and recovery (n = 110), and individuals seeking psycho-social support (n = 820). Apart from SLDS, other measures of life functioning, experiences of stigma and discrimination, factors of personal recovery, and self-rated and clinician-rated psychopathology were used. RESULTS: The SLDS results were characterized by a good item performance and high internal consistency (α = 0.92). Significant improvement in life satisfaction was noted, while maintaining some correlational stability in the re-test. Satisfaction with life did not depend on gender, education and age, but on diagnostic qualification (mental problems < somatic diseases) and methodological qualification (patients > persons seeking support). The direction and strength of the correlation of SLDS scores with a number of social, personal and clinical variables supports its theoretical validity, as does the principal components analysis indicating both the value of a one- and three-dimensional solution (satisfaction with social conditions, living conditions and interpersonal relationships). The feasibility of SLDS is also indicated by the low frequency (< 2.8%) of no responses in the surveyed population. CONCLUSIONS: The basic psychometric indicators of the Polish language version of the SLDS confirm its satisfactory reliability and validity as well as a sufficient level of feasibility for various clinical and research aims.