Date of Submission

2008

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

Department Chair

Robert A. DiTomasso, Ph.D., ABPP

First Advisor

Takako Suzuki, Ph.D, Chairperson

Second Advisor

Robert A. DiTomasso, Ph.D., ABPP

Third Advisor

Virginia Salzer, Ph.D.

Abstract

This is a study of the Subjective Well-Being (SWB) of refugees from Cambodia. A correlational study design composed of questionnaires was used to assess subjective well-being in a Cambodian population in the USA. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a newly constructed Scale of Subjective Well-Being for Khmer Refugees (SSWB-KR), to be used with Cambodian refugees living in the US. The scale is a 49-item, 4-pt. Likert -Type scale that was administered to a sample of 20 Cambodian refugees in Philadelphia, PA. It was administered along with three other measures, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), the Hopkins Symptom Checklist -25) (HSCL-25) (Mollica, Wyshak, deMameffe, Khuon, & Lavelles, 1987b), the Khmer Acculturation Scale (KAS) (Lim, Heibi, Brislin, & Griffin (2002). A demographics questionnaire was also administered. The SSWB-KR was validated against the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985). A group of expert informants provided information that was used to create items that were classified under 11 domains of SWB. Correlations were obtained among the above scales. The SSWB-KR achieved significant positive correlations with the SWLS. No relationship was found between the SSWB-KR and the KAS. Results were also obtained for demographics and SWB. The SSWB-KR could be a useful clinical and research tool. Implications for CBT and recommendations for further validation are discussed.

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