Informing the Structure of Subjective Well-Being Using Preregistered Intervention Studies

The present work examined results from preregistered intervention studies to inform the structure of subjective well-being (SWB). In five studies aimed at boosting individuals’ SWB, pre- and post-intervention assessments of life satisfaction (LS), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were examined as separate components in isolated analyses (Model 1), as a causal system in which PA and NA are inputs to LS (Model 2), and as indicators of a latent SWB factor based on a hierarchical conceptualization (Model 3). In each study, robust associations were found among all three SWB components within and across time (contrary to the separate components model); predictive effects were found among all three SWB components across time, rather than unidirectional effects from PA and NA to LS (contrary to the causal system model). In support of a hierarchical conceptualization, all three components had strong loadings on a latent SWB at pre- and post-intervention; in addition, in four studies the intervention had a significant effect on a latent SWB factor, but no unique (residual) effects on LS, PA, or NA. The present work thus provides valuable new insights based on experimental evidence from preregistered intervention studies in support of a hierarchical structure for SWB.