The Satisfaction with Life Scale in Adolescent Samples: Measurement Invariance across 24 Countries and Regions, Age, and Gender.

Measurement of adolescent life satisfaction across cultures has not received much attention in previous empirical research. The present study evaluated measurement invariance of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) among adolescents in 24 countries and regions (N = 22,710; age range = 13-19 years; 53% female). A single-factor model with residual covariance between a pair of items tapping past life satisfaction fitted well in 19 countries and regions and showed a partial metric invariance. In a subset of nine countries and regions, partial scalar invariance was supported. Partial metric invariance across all 24 countries and regions was achieved when custom model modifications in five countries and regions were included. Three SWLS items showed evidence of noninvariance across cultures. The measurement model was found to operate similarly across gender and age. Our findings suggest that caution is needed when using the SWLS for measuring life satisfaction among adolescents from different cultures. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11482-021-10024-w.

Changes in trust and trait anxiety: The mediating role of changes in self-rated health among older adults in Taiwan.

AIM: This study examined whether changes in generalized trust and bonding trust are related to changes in trait anxiety, and whether changes in self-rated health mediate the relationship between changes in two types of trust and trait anxiety among older Taiwanese adults. METHODS: A hierarchical regression model and a mediation model were separately used to analyze two-wave panel data on 763 older adults from the Panel Study of Family Dynamics in Taiwan. RESULTS: Our findings show that changes in bonding trust (but not changes in generalized trust) are associated with changes in trait anxiety. The results show that sustaining a high level of bonding trust is associated with consistently good health, which in turn decreases anxiety. The relationship between changes in bonding trust and trait anxiety was found to be partially mediated by changes in self-rated health among older people. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that bonding trust is more beneficial for the promotion of self-rated health and reducing trait anxiety than generalized trust in a given context. Policies aiming to ameliorate anxiety among older adults should take into consideration the importance of the developing bonding trust and promoting health in Chinese societies. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 833-838.

Life satisfaction trajectories of junior high school students in poverty: Exploring the role of self-efficacy and social support.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescents' evaluation of overall life in response to adverse life circumstances may depend on the features of events as well as the resources of the youngsters, but there is a lack of research examining whether these factors relate to life satisfaction trajectories from early adolescence to late adolescence (ranging from age 12 to 19). This study analyzes whether controllable negative life events, internal resources, (e.g., self-efficacy) and external resources, (e.g., three sources of social support) predict life satisfaction trajectories, and whether these resources moderate the negative impacts of controllable events on life satisfaction trajectories. METHODS: Multilevel growth modeling was used to analyze a three-wave, nationally representative sample consisting of 818 adolescents from poor families in Taiwan. At time T1, participants were junior high school students (mean age = 13.52, SD=.83). RESULTS: The results revealed that controllable negative events reduced the initial state of life satisfaction, whereas self-efficacy and family support enhanced the initial life satisfaction. In addition, instead of providing a buffering effect, self-efficacy strengthened the link between baseline controllable events and changes in life satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that peer support, rather than family and teacher support, moderates the impact of controllable negative events on life satisfaction over time.

Effects of changes in family social capital on the self-rated health and family life satisfaction of older adults in Taiwan: A longitudinal study.

AIM: The present study assessed the effect of family social capital on self-rated health and family life satisfaction among older adults aged ≥50 years. METHODS: A logistic regression model was used to analyze the longitudinal data of 1243 older adults from the Panel Study of Family Dynamics in Taiwan. RESULTS: The findings show that, compared with having a poor relationship with parents, respondents who were getting along with their parents have a higher likelihood of reporting good health. Frequent interaction with kin significantly promotes respondents' family life satisfaction. With regard to parental control, there is no evidence of its effect on either health or family life satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the quality of relationships has limited effect on the health of older adults, whereas frequent interaction with kin contributes to the promotion of their family life satisfaction. Policies aiming to improve health-related quality of life should take into account the importance of a reciprocal relationships and the need to maintain family-focused networks in Chinese culture. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 228-232.