Scott D Emerson1, Louise C Mâsse2, Tavinder K Ark3, Kimberly A Schonert-Reichl3, Martin Guhn3. 1. Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. semerson@alumni.ubc.ca. 2. BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 3. Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The Satisfaction With Life Scale adapted for Children (SWLS-C) is a self-report measure of children's quality of life and has exhibited sound psychometric properties. In light of increasing ethno-cultural diversity, it is important to understand child life satisfaction across diverse subgroups. Employing children's language background as a proxy for cultural background among children in British Columbia, Canada, we examined (a) the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the SWLS-C; and (b) cross-cultural relations of peer support and adult support with SWLS-C. METHODS: Participants were 20,119 children (Mage 9.2; 50.2% boys) who provided data as part of a self-report child health survey (the Middle-years Development Instrument). Measurement equivalence across eight language/cultural background groups was tested via multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Multi-level analyses were used to compare: a) SWLS-C means; and b) associations of peer support and adult support with SWLS-C scores, by language/cultural background. RESULTS: Findings supported strict measurement equivalence between the English language/cultural background group and all other language/cultural background groups for the SWLS-C. Relative to the English language background group, SWLS-C means differed for several language/cultural background groups. Within every language/cultural background group, however, peer and adult support scale scores were significant positive correlates of SWLS-C scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided evidence for measurement equivalence of a life satisfaction measure across children from diverse language/cultural backgrounds and identified between-group differences in the level of child life satisfaction that were generally consistent with prior theory and findings. Moreover, results provided evidence of promotive associations of adult support and peer support with life satisfaction among diverse groups of children.
PURPOSE: The Satisfaction With Life Scale adapted for Children (SWLS-C) is a self-report measure of children's quality of life and has exhibited sound psychometric properties. In light of increasing ethno-cultural diversity, it is important to understand child life satisfaction across diverse subgroups. Employing children's language background as a proxy for cultural background among children in British Columbia, Canada, we examined (a) the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the SWLS-C; and (b) cross-cultural relations of peer support and adult support with SWLS-C. METHODS:Participants were 20,119 children (Mage 9.2; 50.2% boys) who provided data as part of a self-report child health survey (the Middle-years Development Instrument). Measurement equivalence across eight language/cultural background groups was tested via multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Multi-level analyses were used to compare: a) SWLS-C means; and b) associations of peer support and adult support with SWLS-C scores, by language/cultural background. RESULTS: Findings supported strict measurement equivalence between the English language/cultural background group and all other language/cultural background groups for the SWLS-C. Relative to the English language background group, SWLS-C means differed for several language/cultural background groups. Within every language/cultural background group, however, peer and adult support scale scores were significant positive correlates of SWLS-C scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided evidence for measurement equivalence of a life satisfaction measure across children from diverse language/cultural backgrounds and identified between-group differences in the level of child life satisfaction that were generally consistent with prior theory and findings. Moreover, results provided evidence of promotive associations of adult support and peer support with life satisfaction among diverse groups of children.
Entities:
Keywords:
Canada; Children; Culture; Language; Life satisfaction; Measurement invariance
Authors: Natasha L Burke; Marian Tanofsky-Kraff; Ross Crosby; Rim D Mehari; Shannon E Marwitz; Miranda M Broadney; Lauren B Shomaker; Nichole R Kelly; Natasha A Schvey; Omni Cassidy; Susan Z Yanovski; Jack A Yanovski Journal: Int J Eat Disord Date: 2017-04-03 Impact factor: 4.861
Authors: Scott D Emerson; Monique Gagné Petteni; Martin Guhn; Eva Oberle; Katholiki Georgiades; Constance Milbrath; Magdalena Janus; Kimberly A Schonert-Reichl; Anne M Gadermann Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2021-09-25 Impact factor: 4.328