Life satisfaction (SWLS)
How you feel about your life so far. Answer the app’s questionnaire and see your result right away.
Source · Diener E, Emmons RA, Larsen RJ, Griffin S. The Satisfaction With Life Scale. J Pers Assess. 1985;49(1):71–75. CareOps English translation of its existing Korean questionnaire. Wording, response choices and descriptive score ranges follow the CareOps version and have not been independently validated in English.
How to read the Satisfaction With Life Scale
The SWLS was published by Ed Diener and colleagues in 1985. Instead of asking about your mood, it asks you to step back and judge how satisfied you are with your life overall. The five items cover whether life is close to your ideal, whether your conditions are good, whether you have gained what matters and whether you would change much if you lived it again. This page uses an English translation of the CareOps version, which has not been independently validated in English.
Reading your results
Higher scores mean greater life satisfaction. The result screen shows 0–9 very dissatisfied, 10–14 dissatisfied, 15–19 slightly dissatisfied, 20 neutral, 21–25 slightly satisfied, 26–30 satisfied and 31–35 very satisfied. If your answers about the past differ from those about your present circumstances, notice which side feels lacking. The score does not say which area of life is behind it, so note whether work, relationships or health came to mind.
A question to reflect on
Make five boxes: work, relationships, health, free time and money. Rate your satisfaction with each out of 10. For the lowest box, write one sentence about what would be different if it rose by just one point.
Frequently asked questions
- How many questions are in Life satisfaction (SWLS), and how long does it take?
- There are 5 questions, and it usually takes about 1 minute. For each question you choose one of 7 answers, from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree”. There are no right or wrong answers.
- Is life satisfaction the same as happiness?
- Happiness is closer to how you feel in the moment, while this scale asks for a judgement about your life as a whole. You can feel good today and still feel something is missing overall, or the reverse.
- Is a neutral score of 20 good or bad?
- It means satisfaction and dissatisfaction are roughly balanced. Looking at which items felt lacking is more useful than labelling it good or bad.
- Will my score change after a big life event?
- It can shift after moving, changing jobs or a breakup. Checking before and after a change can show what shapes your satisfaction.
- Do I need to sign in? Are my answers saved?
- You can see your results right away without signing in. Your answers are used only for scoring and are not stored on our servers.
- Can I bring these results into a counseling session?
- Use the analysis button at the bottom of the result screen to have a short conversation with Maeumi without signing in. After the conversation, you can continue in the app. The web conversation does not transfer automatically to the app.
- Can I share my results with a friend?
- Yes. Use Share at the top right of the result screen to send a friend the check itself, or share your result as a link or story image. A result link carries your scores inside the address only; it does not include your name or account, and nothing is saved on our side.