Psychometric evaluation of the Portuguese Satisfaction with Family Life Scale

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Family Life Scale (SWFLS) among Portuguese adolescents. This scale assesses a person’s global evaluation of family satisfaction. The participants were 252 high school students from public schools in Lisbon, aged 15–19 years (M = 16.87; SD = 1.21). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a one-factor model of the SWFLS among Portuguese adolescents. The SWFLS showed adequate psychometric properties, with good internal consistency. Subsequent analyses indicated that the SWFLS scores were related to a measure of family satisfaction, as well as wellbeing (life satisfaction, self-esteem) and current interpersonal functioning (social support and loneliness). These findings are interpreted as supporting the validity of the SWFLS. The findings of this research indicate that the Portuguese version of the SWFLS is a brief, psychometrically sound instrument to assess family life satisfaction.