The Benefits of Socially-Oriented Happiness: Validation of the Interdependent Happiness Scale in the Philippines

Abstract

Cultural theories of well-being emphasize the importance of establishing and maintaining satisfying interpersonal relationships to achieve happiness in collectivist societies. Yet, widely used measures of subjective well-being have failed to capture the social dimension of happiness. To address this research gap, Hitokoto and Uchida (2015) developed the Interdependent Happiness Scale (IHS), a measure of happiness that was based on interpersonal harmony, quiescence, and ordinariness. The current research assessed the psychometric validity of IHS among Filipino high school students (Study 1) and to examine the incremental validity of interdependent happiness over sense of relatedness in predicting well-being outcomes (Study 2). The results of Study 1 revealed that the hierarchical model of interdependent happiness with relationship oriented happiness, quiescent happiness, and ordinary happiness as first-order factors was applicable for Filipino high school students and the higher-order interdependent happiness construct had stronger predictive impact than each dimension on flourishing and life satisfaction. In Study 2, the hierarchical model of interdependent happiness was also supported and interdependent happiness was found to have incremental validity beyond sense of relatedness in optimizing well-being indices (i.e., flourishing and life satisfaction). The theoretical and practical implications of the results are elucidated.