Title: Development of personal wellbeing index - the validation of spirituality-religion satisfaction as a life domain

Authors: Lufanna C.H. Lai; Robert A. Cummins; Anna L.D. Lau

Addresses: School of Psychology, Gratia Christian College, 5 Wai Chi Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong ' School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia ' School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia

Abstract: This study concerned the development of the Personal Wellbeing Index as a valid instrument by which to measure subjective wellbeing. Specifically, the psychometric validity of spirituality-religion satisfaction as a domain of the Personal Wellbeing Index for the religions of Christianity, Buddhism and Taoism in Hong Kong was investigated. 716 Chinese respondents were recruited in Hong Kong comprising 178 Christians, 153 Buddhists, 145 Taoists and 240 people who identified as having no religious belief. Data obtained through self-report questionnaires indicate that the spirituality-religion domain is valid for the religions of Christianity and Taoism, but not for Buddhism. The implications of these findings for the future development of Personal Wellbeing Index are discussed.

Keywords: development of the Personal Wellbeing Index; subjective wellbeing; SWB; religion; spirituality-religion satisfaction; Christianity; Buddhism; Taoism; theory of subjective wellbeing homeostasis; homeostatically protected mood; general life satisfaction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2018.092042

International Journal of Happiness and Development, 2018 Vol.4 No.2, pp.93 - 112

Received: 12 Dec 2016
Accepted: 17 Apr 2017

Published online: 30 May 2018 *

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