RYFF SCALES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

The following set of statements deals with how you might feel about yourself and your life. Please remember that there are neither
right nor wrong answers.

Circle the number that best describes the degree to Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly
which you agree or disagree with each statement. Disagree Agree
Disagree Slightly Slightly Agree

1. Most people see me as loving and affectionate. 1 2 3 4 5 6

2. I am not afraid to voice my opinion, even when they

1 2 3 4 5 6
are in opposition to the opinions of most people.

3. In general, I feel I am in charge of the situation in

1 2 3 4 5 6
which I live.

4. I am not interested in activities that will expand my

1 2 3 4 5 6
horizons.

5. I live life one day at a time and don’t really think

1 2 3 4 5 6
about the future.

6. When I look at the story of my life, I am pleased with

1 2 3 4 5 6
how things have turned out.

7. Maintaining close relationships has been difficulty

1 2 3 4 5 6
and frustrating for me.

8. My decisions are not usually influenced by what

1 2 3 4 5 6
everyone else is doing.

9. The demands of everyday life often get me down. 1 2 3 4 5 6

10. I don’t want to try new ways of doing things—my life

1 2 3 4 5 6
is fine the way it is.

11. I tend to focus on the present, because the future

1 2 3 4 5 6
always brings me problems.

12. In general, I feel confident and positive about myself. 1 2 3 4 5 6

13. I often feel lonely because I have few close friends

1 2 3 4 5 6
with whom to share my concerns.

14. I tend to worry about what other people think of me. 1 2 3 4 5 6

15. I do not fit very well with the people and the
1 2 3 4 5 6
community around me.

16. I think it is important to have new experiences that

challenge how you think about yourself and the 1 2 3 4 5 6
world.

17. My daily activities often seem trivial and unimportant

1 2 3 4 5 6
to me.

18. I feel like many of the people I know have gotten

1 2 3 4 5 6
more out of life than I have.

19. I enjoy personal and mutual conversations with family

1 2 3 4 5 6
members or friends.

20. Being happy with myself is more important to me

1 2 3 4 5 6
than having others approve of me.

Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College • www.liberalarts.wabash.edu

Circle the number that best describes the degree to Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly
which you agree or disagree with each statement. Disagree Agree
Disagree Slightly Slightly Agree

21. I am quite good at managing the many

1 2 3 4 5 6
responsibilities of my daily life.

22. When I think about it, I haven’t really improved much

1 2 3 4 5 6
as a person over the years.

23. I don’t have a good sense of what it is I’m trying to

1 2 3 4 5 6
accomplish in my life.

24. I like most aspects of my personality. 1 2 3 4 5 6

25. I don’t have many people who want to listen when I

1 2 3 4 5 6
need to talk.
26. I tend to be influenced by people with strong
1 2 3 4 5 6
opinions.

27. I often feel overwhelmed by my responsibilities. 1 2 3 4 5 6

28. I have a sense that I have developed a lot as a

1 2 3 4 5 6
person over time.
29. I used to set goals for myself, but that now seems a
1 2 3 4 5 6
waste of time.

30. I made some mistakes in the past, but I feel that all in
1 2 3 4 5 6
all everything has worked out for the best.

31. It seems to me that most other people have more

1 2 3 4 5 6
friends than I do.

32. I have confidence in my opinions, even if they are

1 2 3 4 5 6
contrary to the general consensus.

33. I generally do a good job of taking care of my

1 2 3 4 5 6
personal finances and affairs.

34. I do not enjoy being in new situations that require me

1 2 3 4 5 6
to change my old familiar ways of doing things.

35. I enjoy making plans for the future and working to

1 2 3 4 5 6
make them a reality.

36. In many ways, I feel disappointed about my

1 2 3 4 5 6
achievements in my life.

37. People would describe me as a giving person, willing

1 2 3 4 5 6
to share my time with others.

38. It’s difficult for me to voice my own opinions on

1 2 3 4 5 6
controversial matters.

39. I am good at juggling my time so that I can fit

1 2 3 4 5 6
everything in that needs to be done.

40. For me, life has been a continuous process of

1 2 3 4 5 6
learning, changing, and growth.

41. I am an active person in carrying out the plans I set

1 2 3 4 5 6
for myself.

42. My attitude about myself is probably not as positive

1 2 3 4 5 6
as most people feel about themselves.

Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College • www.liberalarts.wabash.edu

Circle the number that best describes the degree to Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly
which you agree or disagree with each statement. Disagree Agree
Disagree Slightly Slightly Agree

43. I have not experienced many warm and trusting

1 2 3 4 5 6
relationships with others.

44. I often change my mind about decisions if my friends

1 2 3 4 5 6
or family disagree.

45. I have difficulty arranging my life in a way that is

1 2 3 4 5 6
satisfying to me.

46. I gave up trying to make big improvements or change

1 2 3 4 5 6
in my life a long time ago.

47. Some people wander aimlessly through life, but I am

1 2 3 4 5 6
not one of them.

48. The past has its ups and downs, but in general, I
1 2 3 4 5 6
wouldn’t want to change it.

49. I know that I can trust my friends, and they know they
1 2 3 4 5 6
can trust me.

50. I judge myself by what I think is important, not by the

1 2 3 4 5 6
values of what others think is important.

51. I have been able to build a home and a lifestyle for

1 2 3 4 5 6
myself that is much to my liking.

52. There is truth to the saying that you can’t teach an

1 2 3 4 5 6
old dog new tricks.

53. I sometimes feel as if I’ve done all there is to do in

1 2 3 4 5 6
life.

54. When I compare myself to friends and

acquaintances, it makes me feel good about who I 1 2 3 4 5 6
am.

Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College • www.liberalarts.wabash.edu

Item numbers 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13,14,15,17,18, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 34, 36, 38, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 52, 53 in the
above are reverse scored.

Below are the items listed by scale. Reverse-scored items are labeled “rs.”

Autonomy – the extent to which students view themselves as being independent and able to resist social pressures
1. I am not afraid to voice my opinions, even when they are in opposition to the opinions of most people.
2. My decisions are not usually influenced by what everyone else is doing.
3. I tend to worry about what other people think of me. (rs)
4. Being happy with myself is more important to me than having others approve of me.
5. I tend to be influenced by people with strong opinions. (rs)
6. I have confidence in my opinions, even if they are contrary to the general consensus.
7. It’s difficult for me to voice my own opinions on controversial matters. (rs)
8. I often change my mind about decisions if my friends or family disagree. (rs)
9. I judge myself by what I think is important, not by the values of what others think is important.

Environmental Mastery – the extent to which students feel in control of and able to act in the environment
1. In general, I feel I am in charge of the situation in which I live.
2. The demands of everyday life often get me down. (rs)
3. I do not fit very well with the people in the community around me. (rs)
4. I am quite good at managing the many responsibilities of my daily life.
5. I often feel overwhelmed by my responsibilities. (rs)
6. I generally do a good job of taking care of my personal finances and affairs.
7. I am good at juggling my time so that I can fit everything in that needs to be done.
8. I have difficulty arranging my life in a way that is satisfying to me. (rs)
9. I have been able to build a home and a lifestyle for myself that is much to my liking.

Personal Growth – the extent to which students have a sense of continued development and self-improvement
1. I am not interested in activities that will expand my horizons. (rs)
2. I don't want to try new ways of doing things—my life is fine the way it is. (rs)
3. I think it is important to have new experiences that challenge how you think about yourself and the world.
4. When I think about it, I haven't really improved much as a person over the years. (rs)
5. I have a sense that I have developed a lot as a person over time.
6. I do not enjoy being in new situations that require me to change my old familiar ways of doing things. (rs)
7. For me, life has been a continuous process of learning, changing, and growth.
8. I gave up trying to make big improvements or changes in my life a long time ago. (rs)
9. There is truth to the saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. (rs)

Positive Relations with Others – the extent to which students have satisfying, trusting relationships with other people
1. Most people see me as loving and affectionate.
2. Maintaining close relationships has been difficult and frustrating for me. (rs)
3. I often feel lonely because I have few close friends with whom to share my concerns. (rs)
4. I enjoy personal and mutual conversations with family members or friends.
5. I don't have many people who want to listen when I need to talk. (rs)
6. It seems to me that most other people have more friends than I do. (rs)
7. People would describe me as a giving person, willing to share my time with others.
8. I have not experienced many warm and trusting relationships with others. (rs)
9. I know that I can trust my friends, and they know that they can trust me.

Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College • www.liberalarts.wabash.edu

Purpose in Life – the extent to which students hold beliefs that give life meaning
1. I live one day at a time and don't really think about the future. (rs)
2. I tend to focus on the present, because the future always brings me problems. (rs)
3. My daily activities often seem trivial and unimportant to me. (rs)
4. I don't have a good sense of what it is that I am trying to accomplish in my life. (rs)
5. I used to set goals for myself, but that now seems a waste of time. (rs)
6. I enjoy making plans for the future and working to make them a reality.
7. I am an active person in carrying out the plans I set for myself.
8. Some people wander aimlessly through life, but I am not one of them.
9. I sometimes feel as if I’ve done all there is to do in life. (rs)

Self-Acceptance – the extent to which students have a positive attitude about themselves
1. When I look at the story of my life, I am pleased with how things have turned out.
2. In general, I feel confident and positive about myself.
3. I feel like many of the people I know have gotten more out of life than I have. (rs)
4. I like most aspects of my personality.
5. I made some mistakes in the past, but I feel that all in all everything has worked out for the best.
6. In many ways, I feel disappointed about my achievements in my life. (rs)
7. My attitude about myself is probably not as positive as most people feel about themselves. (rs)
8. The past had its ups and downs, but in general, I wouldn't want to change it.
9. When I compare myself to friends and acquaintances, it makes me feel good about who I am.

References

Hauser, R.M., Springer, K.W., Pudrovska, T. (2005, November). Temporal structures of psychological well-being:
Continuity or change. Paper presented at the 58th annual scientific meeting of the Gerontological Society of America,
Orlando, Florida.

Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal
of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 1069–1081.

Ryff, C. D. & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 69, 719–727.

Ryff, C. D. & Singer, B. H. (2006). Best news yet on the six-factor model of well-being. Social Science Research, 35,
1103–1119.

Springer, K. W. & Hauser, R. M. (2006). An assessment of the construct validity of Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-
Being: Method, mode and measurement effects. Social Science Research, 35, 1080–1102.

Springer, K. W., Hauser, R. M., & Freese, J. (2006). Bad news indeed for the Ryff’s six-factor model of well-being.
Social Science Research, 35, 1120–1131.

Seifert, T. (2005). Assessment of the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being. Retrieved August 6, 2007 from the
Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College website: http://www.wabashnationalstudy.org/wns/ryff.html

Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College • www.liberalarts.wabash.edu