title: Dimensionality and measurement invariance in the Satisfaction with Life Scale in Norway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Results from previous studies examining the dimensionality and factorial invariance of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) are inconsistent and often based on small samples. This study examines the factorial structure and factorial invariance of the SWLS in a Norwegian sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Confirmatory factor analysis (AMOS) was conducted to explore dimensionality and test for measurement invariance in factor structure, factor loadings, intercepts, and residual variance across gender and four age groups in a large (N = 4,984), nationally representative sample of Norwegian men and women (15-79 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data supported a modified unidimensional structure. Factor loadings could be constrained to equality between the sexes, indicating metric invariance between genders. Further testing indicated invariance also at the strong and strict levels, thus allowing analyses involving group means. The SWLS was shown to be sensitive to age, however, at the strong and strict levels of invariance testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the results in this Norwegian study seem to confirm that a unidimensional structure is acceptable, but that a modified single-factor model with correlations between error terms of items 4 and 5 is preferred. Additionally, comparisons may be made between the genders. Caution must be exerted when comparing age groups.
authors.affiliation: Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PB 4404 Nydalen, 0403, Oslo, Norway. jocelyne.clench-aas@fhi.no
authors.forename: Jocelyne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clench-Aas
authors.forename: Ragnhild Bang
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Nes
authors.forename: Odd Steffen
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Dalgard
authors.forename: Leif Edvard
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Aarø
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult