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This research reports the development of a 15-item index of self-actualization that will be useful in research contexts. The index is based primarily on modified items from the most widely accepted measure of self-actualization, the Personal Orientation Inventory. The index had a significant correlation with this inventory (r = .67, p < .001). It also correlated as expected with measures of self-esteem, rational behavior and beliefs, neuroticism, and extraversion. The index discriminated between groups of people nominated as self-actualizing and as non-self-actualizing. There were no problems with response sets, and the index was resistant to "faking good." Weaknesses of the scale are discussed as well as means to overcome these weaknesses.

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Using a new analytic approach, construct validity estimates are developed for proposed social indicators of self-reported well-being. Two separate investigations are reported: the first involves data on six aspects of well-being each assessed by six methods from 222 adults in one geographic area; the second, a partial replication and extension, involves a more limited set of indicators measured on a sample of 1297 respondents representative of all American adults. The results provide evidence that perceptions of well-being can be measured by single questionnaire or interview items using any of four formats with validities in therange of 0.7 to 0.8 and with correlated method effects contributing less than 10% of the total variance. Two other formats, however, were markedly less valid. These findings are important in view of past criticisms of 'subjective' social indicators as lacking in validity, and the f'mdings can guide current efforts to develop new ways to assess the quality of lif~ Methodologically, the article illustrates the feasibility and utility of deriving parameter estimates of structural equation models of multimethod-multitrait data using Joreskog's LISREL algorithm. The possibility of deriving validity estimates in this way, even when the data include correlated errors, opens new and important opportunities to precisely assess the amount of error variance in much social science data. Increasing public concern about 'quality of life' and 'individual well-being' has stimulated a growing body of research in the area now called 'social

This study examines the relationships between job and leisure satisfaction and their contributions t* the perception of quality of life. The data were collected from -> national probability sample of 1297 adult Americans interviewed In May 1972. The magnitude of the correlations between job and leisure satisfaction measures was low; however, both accounted for meaningful variation In perceived quality of life for the total sample.Separate analyses for demographic subgroups were also performed. They Indicated that job satisfaction contributed relatively less than leisure satisfaction to the life quality of minorities and other often "disadvantaged" subgroups compared to "advantaged" workers.Implications of the results for the application of motivational strategies in the work setting are discussed.

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