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Happiness Assessment Tools

Happiness assessment tools gauge a person's satisfaction with his life and help pinpoint problem areas. Various happiness assessment tools measure the state of a person's happiness, and the results depend on his answers, current personal circumstances and tolerance level. You can use different types of tools, and each tool analyzes the person's state of mind in a different way.

  1. Types

    • Online or written exams, quizzes and scales "rate" the taker's happiness with her life overall or with specific areas, such as relationships, work or finances. Some assessments are confidential, with only the taker seeing the results. Employers and mental health professionals may use happiness assessments as part of a larger program or wellness goal. Some online happiness tools are meant more for entertainment than true assessments of the person's happiness.

    Features

    • Scales use a number system, typically 1 to 5 or 1 to 10, to gauge happiness by assigning values to the numbers. For example, "1" for unhappy and "5" for extremely happy on a 1 to 5 scale. The person selects the number that reflects her feelings about a particular statement, such as "Level of Affection" on a relationship scale.

      Exams and quizzes vary, but may include specific questions about the taker's state of mind and level of contentment that are multiple choice, "yes" or "no" answers or a mix of both. A more complex happiness assessment test may have questions that require written answers, such as "What makes you the most unhappy on a daily basis?"

    Effects

    • Employee happiness assessment tools help the employer gauge workplace morale and create a plan to address what makes the workers the most unhappy about their jobs. Unhappy workers are not as productive as happy employees, according to Charles D. Kerns of the Graziadio Business Review.

      Relationship and general happiness tools help the person and medical professionals, such as counselors, identify life areas that need improvement. The identification of and treatment for a domestic violence victim and a person with an addiction sometimes involves happiness assessment tests.

    Considerations

    • A happiness assessment tool may uncover an area of the taker's life that needs adjustment, even if she was unaware of a problem. Drug and alcohol abuse counselors use happiness assessments to identity triggers and underlying life factors in a person's addiction.

      Some assessment tools are designed to fit the average person and not tailored to a specific person's needs. Consider personal circumstances when reviewing results.

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