The Turkish version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale: Measurement Invariance across Gender

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the measurement invariance in the Turkish version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale according to gender among university students. A convenience sample of 312 university students (194 females) was participated in the study. Multi-group confirmatory factorial analyses were performed to examine the measurement invariance. The results showed a first-order one-factor solution fitted to the Turkish sample. The findings revealed that the configural and metric invariances were achieved with respect to gender. However, scalar invariance could not be reached across gender. When constrained the parameter of item four across gender, then partial scalar invariance was achieved. Ongoing analysis showed that strict invariance was achieved across gender. Establishing at least partial scalar invariance is important in that it permits comparison of latent means between subgroups. Understanding how satisfaction with life differs depending on gender and culture in the context of psychological well-being could lead a deeper conceptualization of this attribute. Moreover, this study emphasizes that valid inferences are only possible with well-developed psychometric tools.