Description

The Steen Happiness Index (SHI-20) is an assessment instrument used to measure subjective happiness and general psychological well-being. It focuses on individuals’ experiences of satisfaction, positive emotions, and perceived quality of life in everyday living.

The scale approaches happiness as a personal and subjective experience that may be influenced both by life circumstances and by the way individuals perceive and evaluate their experiences.

Aim

The primary aim of the SHI-20 is to assess personal happiness and provide information about the factors associated with psychological well-being.

The results may be used to improve understanding of subjective well-being and to evaluate interventions or programs designed to enhance quality of life and psychological well-being.

Main Areas of Assessment

Based on the available material, the SHI-20 focuses on areas such as:

Subjective Happiness: the degree to which individuals perceive themselves as happy.

Life Satisfaction: the overall evaluation of one’s life and life circumstances.

Positive Emotions: the presence and intensity of positive emotional experiences.

Psychological Well-Being: the broader perception of emotional balance and personal well-being.

Perceived Quality of Life: the way individuals evaluate their daily experiences and living conditions.

Scoring

According to the available file, SHI items are typically rated using a Likert-type scale, through which participants evaluate their level of happiness across different areas of life.

Higher scores indicate a greater sense of happiness and satisfaction.

The source does not specify the exact number of Likert response options, the total possible score range, or whether reverse-scored items are included. Therefore, final scoring should follow the official protocol of the specific version being used.

Data Analysis and Use

Analysis of SHI data may include descriptive statistics, such as the mean and standard deviation, to summarize the overall level of happiness within a population.

Additional analyses may include:

Correlational Analysis: examination of relationships between happiness and factors such as age, gender, social status, and job satisfaction.

Comparative Analysis: comparison of happiness levels across different demographic or social groups.

Depending on the study design, regression or other multivariate methods may also be used to investigate factors associated with or predictive of subjective happiness.

Psychometric Evaluation

Psychometric evaluation of the SHI-20 may include:

Internal Consistency: examination of item consistency using indicators such as Cronbach’s alpha.

Validity: assessment of whether the scale accurately captures individuals’ subjective experience of happiness.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation: examination of the instrument’s suitability for use across different cultural and social contexts.

The available file does not provide specific numerical reliability or validity coefficients.

Applications

The SHI-20 may be used in positive psychology, mental health research, quality-of-life studies, and research on subjective well-being.

It may also be used to investigate differences in happiness across population groups or to evaluate changes in well-being before and after psychological, educational, or social interventions.

References

Steen, T. A. (2001). The Conceptual Framework of Happiness: Development and Testing of the Steen Happiness Index. Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(1), 23–40.

Lyubomirsky, S. (2007). The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want. Penguin Press.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. Free Press.