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Structural relationships among happiness scales: A second order factorial study

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Abstract

Our intent in this study was to investigate structural relationships among happiness scales, and to determine whether the happiness construct could be represented adequately by a single score index. Second order principal factors analyses were computed on six data sets representing eight samples of subjects where the variables were comprised of global or sub-global indices of happiness. Single factor solutions were obtained from every analysis. The findings were interpreted as, (1) supporting a hierarchical, rather than an orthogonal multicomponent, model of relationships among happiness scales and, (2) indicating that the construct can be represented adequately by a single score index in social indicators research.

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Stones, M.J., Kozma, A. Structural relationships among happiness scales: A second order factorial study. Social Indicators Research 17, 19–28 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354110

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