Assess your level of well-being in 2 minutes

Designed around forty years ago, this little happiness test which assesses your level of satisfaction in life is still used by researchers, academics and polling institutes around the world. The reason for this popularity: it takes less than 2 minutes.

To get to the heart of the matter, I invite you now to take the happiness test*, proposed by Edward Diener, psychologist at the University of Illinois (who passed away in 2021). His work on well-being and happiness had strongly influenced, at the end of the 90s, the birth of the current of positive psychology.

This test, developed in 1985, offers an overall assessment of your quality of life based on criteria that you determine yourself. It is very simple to do because it only has five statements. It will only take you two minutes: the result is therefore almost immediate.

According to Diener’s model, subjective well-being (happiness) is determined by three components: positive emotions, negative emotions and the level of satisfaction with one’s life.

Despite its age, this tool remains relevant because these three components are relatively independent of each other. For example, life satisfaction does not necessarily correspond to the balance of emotions.

How to take the happiness test?

For each of the following statements, indicate to what extent you agree with them using the following rating scale:

+1 if you strongly disagree
+2 if you largely disagree
+3 if you moderately disagree
+4 if you neither agree nor disagree
+5 if you moderately agree
+6 if you largely agree
+7 if you completely agree

Here are the 5 questions of the happiness test:

1. In general, my life closely matches my ideals.
2. My living conditions are excellent.
3. I am satisfied with my life.
4. So far, I have gotten the important things I wanted from life.
5. If I could start my life over again, I wouldn’t change almost anything.

Your happiness test results

Your score is less than 10

You are very dissatisfied with your current life. Whatever the reason for the low level of satisfaction, do not hesitate to call on those around you (a friend or family member, a psychologist or another advisor) to improve it.

Your score is in the 10-14 bracket

You are generally dissatisfied with your life. If dissatisfaction is a response to a recent event, you will likely return to a higher level of satisfaction over time. However, if low levels of satisfaction are chronic, some changes would be desirable – both in attitudes and thought patterns, and probably also in activities.

Your score is in the 15-19 bracket

You have moderate but significant problems in several areas of life, or several areas that are going well but one area in which you are experiencing a significant problem.

Your score is in the 20-24 bracket

This level of satisfaction corresponds to the average in economically developed countries. The majority of people are generally satisfied but would like to be even more satisfied by making changes in their lives.

Your score is in the 25-29 bracket

You love your life. Your level of satisfaction is higher than the average of people in economically developed countries. For you, life is enjoyable and the main areas of your life are going well – work or study, family, friends, hobbies and personal development.

Your happiness test score is above 29

You love your life very much. She’s not perfect, but things are as good as they can be. The growth and challenges may be part of the reason it satisfies you.

Comments from the test author

According to Edward Dienersocial relationships are one of the most important influences on life satisfaction. People who score high in satisfaction tend to have family members and/or friends who are close and supportive, while those who do not have close friends and family are more likely to be dissatisfied.

An important factor is also work or study. When a person enjoys their work, paid or unpaid, and finds it useful, this contributes to satisfaction. Another factor is performance in an important role such as parent or grandparent. Other factors are personal development, learning, leisure, health.

Being able to make progress towards goals that are important to oneself is a factor that can greatly influence satisfaction.