livstillfredsställelse

Livstillfredsställelse is a term used in Swedish psychology and social science that denotes the cognitive evaluation of one's life as a whole and is a central component of subjective well-being. As with its English counterpart life satisfaction, the construct refers to a reflective judgment rather than transient mood.

Measurement: It is typically assessed through self-report questionnaires. The most widely used instrument is the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) developed by Diener and colleagues, though researchers also employ single-item assessments such as How satisfied are you with your life as a whole? The Swedish research literature often reports SWLS scores alongside other well-being indicators.

Determinants and correlates: Life satisfaction tends to correlate with health, income, employment status, social relationships, and a sense of purpose or autonomy. It is influenced by adaptation to circumstances and cultural norms. In research on subjective well-being, life satisfaction is analyzed alongside affect (positive and negative) as part of a broader construct.

Applications and implications: Life satisfaction data are used in public policy and social research to track well-being, compare populations, and assess the impact of policies on quality of life. Critics note that life satisfaction measures are subjective and susceptible to response biases and cross-cultural differences in expression.