Correspondence between Parent and Adolescent Ratings of Life Satisfaction for Adolescents with and without Mental Disabilities

Abstract

Using a self-report measure of multidimensional life satisfaction reports, the Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS; Huebner, 1994), the correspondence between parent and adolescent ratings of life satisfaction was investigated with 80 high school students with mild mental disability (MMD) and a matched sample of 80 normally achieving students. The results revealed acceptable levels of correspondence between parent and normally achieving adolescent ratings, but not for adolescents with MMD. The lack of correspondence between parents and adolescents with MMD suggests possible differences with respect to rater accuracy or differences in the meaning of life satisfaction reports of adolescents with MMD and their parents. Potential users of life satisfaction measures, such as the MSLSS, should be cautious in interpreting the meaning of reports of students with special needs. The comparability of subjective well-being reports of adolescents with and without disabilities should not be assumed, the meaning of reports of normally achieving students may not generalize to particular groups of students with special needs (e.g., students with learning and or behavioral disabilities).