Are You Satisfied: Free Quiz To Measure Life Satisfaction

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The Satisfaction with Life (SWLS) Scale measures a person’s satisfaction with their life as a whole.

It measures the cognitive component of Subjective Well-Being (SWB), and provides an integrated judgement of how a person’s life is going.

Positive psychologists refer to happiness as subjective well-being (SWB); we discuss its five components later in this post.

How Satisfied You Are In Life: Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS)

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) measures global life satisfaction. It has been used in hundreds of studies and has already shown good predictive properties.\

The scale consists of five items, each requiring participants to express their level of agreement on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from “strongly agree” (7) to “strongly disagree” (1).

Take the test below:

Interpreting Your SWLS Score

• 30 and Above: Highly satisfied with life. You love your life and feel things are going very well, even if not perfect. Counted for most people in this range, your life is enjoyable. And the major domains of your life are going well – work or school, family, friends, leisure, and personal development.
• 25 to 29: Quite satisfied with life. You like your life and feel things are going well, even with some areas for improvement. Individuals who score in this range may draw motivation from the areas of your life that you are dissatisfied with.
• 20 to 24: Average life satisfaction. You are generally satisfied, but have some areas you’d like to improve. This is normal, as most individuals typically seek to improve their life circumstances.
• 15 to 19: Low life satisfaction. Experiencing significant problems in several areas or substantial problems in one area. You may need to seek help from others. If this is due to recent events, your satisfaction level will likely improve over time.
• 14 and Below: Very low life satisfaction. Quite dissatisfied with life. Significant life changes may be needed, and seeking help from others is recommended. If you have been feeling this sense of dissatisfaction with your life over a long period of time, this is a sign that significant life changes are needed.

What To Do Next

• 30 and Above: Keep up the great work! Focus on maintaining the positive aspects of your life, and continue to find ways to grow and challenge yourself.
• 25 to 29: You may draw motivation from the areas of your life that you are dissatisfied with. Reflect on what’s working well and consider small, manageable steps to address the areas you’d like to improve.
• 20 to 24: You may seek to improve your life circumstances and habits. Identify the specific areas you’d like to focus on and create a plan to make positive changes, one step at a time.
• 15 to 19: You may need to seek help from others. If this is due to recent events, your satisfaction level will likely improve over time. Consider reaching out to trusted friends, family, or a professional counselor to help you go through your challenging period and develop coping strategies.
• 14 and Below: If you have been feeling this sense of dissatisfaction with your life over a long period of time, this is a sign that you may need to make significant life changes. Seek help from others. Don’t hesitate to seek professional counsel to help you identify the root causes of your dissatisfaction and create a plan for positive change.

Subjective Well-Being (SWB)

Subjective Well-Being is not just about how fit or happy you are now, or how many material possessions you have. It is about how you look at and evaluate your whole life, including your emotions, relationships, and sense of purpose in life.

Five parts of Subjective Well-Being are:

1. Cognitive Component: This is the logical, rational measure of your life satisfaction. It finds out how content and fulfilled you feel with your lot (circumstances) in life as a whole. Measured by Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).
2. Positive Affect: This measures your positive emotions — joy, enthusiasm, and contentment. Feeling positive feelings is a must-have part of overall well-being. Measured by Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS).
3. Negative Affect: This considers the presence of negative emotions like sadness, anxiety, and anger. A key part of one’s subjective well-being is reducing unpleasant feelings in life. Measured by Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS).
4. Eudaimonic Well-Being: This is a deeper aspect — it focuses on Meaning and Growth. It measures how well you have fulfilled your human potential. It involves recognizing that your life has purpose and that you are becoming the best version of yourself. Measured by Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being and Flourishing Scale (FS).
5. Social Well-Being: This is about having good connections with family and friends. It is about how you feel like you belong to a community and that people care about you. This sense of belonging and feeling like you fit in with your community is important for your overall well-being. Measured by Social Well-Being Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale.

Final Words

The Satisfaction With Life Scale remains a key tool in positive psychology research and practice for measuring overall life satisfaction and understanding how it affects well-being.

Its simplicity and clarity make it suitable for both clinical settings and research purposes.

√ Also Read: Why You Feel Bored With Life: Measure Your Boredom Proneness

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