2.2.2. Life satisfaction scale – subscale one: subjective state (LSS–S)
The LSS–S is a ten item self-report questionnaire used to assess subjective life satisfaction developed by Kopina (1996). The participant is asked to answer negatively and positively worded items on a four point intensity scale from 1 (definitely no) to 4 (definitely yes) in response to the question “How have you been feeling lately?” Negative scores indicate low subjective life satisfaction and positive scores indicate high subjective life satisfaction. As the psychometric maturity has been described as under construction, the present study will calculate a measure of internal consistency to ensure reliability of the scale ( Kopina, 1996).
2.3. Procedure
2.3.1. Item generation
Items for the University Student Depression Inventory (USDI) were generated by third year psychology students as a part of a class exercise. To ensure that the items generated were a reflective of this population, firstly, these students worked in small groups to discuss various aspects of university student's depression and secondly, wrote items that reflected the dimensions of this population's depression. All together 125 items, falling into cognitive, behavioural, motivational, affective and physiological categories were generated. Three psychologists, who worked in clinical settings, reviewed the item pool to reduce redundancy. Six counsellors, who worked at QUT student counselling centres, were requested to short list the relevant items. The authors revised the items in light of their feedback. The resulting inventory was a 46-item negatively worded self report inventory answered on a 5-point frequency scale from 1 (not at all) to 5 (all the time) in response to the statement “Please circle the number that indicates how often you have experienced each item over the past two weeks”.
2.3.2. Data collection
After the USDI was developed, ethical approval was sought and obtained for the project. General students enrolled in the university were invited to participate. No exclusion criteria were used. Initially, the study was advertised on the first year psychology notice board. These students were invited to participate in the scheduled data collection sessions. First year psychology students completed the entire battery and received credit for their participation. They were invited to complete the USDI a second time in a session one week later until a quota was filled.
In order to increase the sample size other psychology students (second, third, fourth year, masters and Phd) were also informed about the study through announcements prior to the lectures. They were invited to complete the questionnaire battery in class or to take away with them, returning it to the researchers later directly or via a secure box at the psychology reception. Only those who showed interest in the study were given the questionnaires. The questionnaire battery was randomly arranged to overcome order effect.
Some classes approached later in the data collection were only asked to fill in USDI. Students were also approached individually within the university who either filled the questionnaire immediately or took it away with them and returned it later by methods mentioned previously. Although, no checks were made on the exact response rate, most of those who volunteered to participate returned the completed questionnaires.
All participants were informed of the nature of the study verbally and in writing. Students signed a consent form to show voluntary consent and that they understood the information about the study. After the students finished, they were debriefed verbally and in writing.