Cross-Cultural Validation of the 9-Item Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale (TSWLS) among Algerian and Spanish Emerging Adults

This study aimed to validate the Arabic and Spanish versions of the 9-item Temporal satisfaction with life scale (TSWLS) among emerging adults. A sample of 333 participants (173 from Algeria, 160 from Spain), aged 18–30 (M = 19.80, SD = 1.91), was used. The scale underwent back-translation and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate its psychometric properties. Results supported a three-factor structure (past, present, future) with good model fit, internal consistency, and construct validity in both samples. However, some indices were slightly lower in the Spanish group. The TSWLS also demonstrated convergent, divergent, and concurrent validity, with strong correlations with the satisfaction with life scale and the Flourishing scale. Gender invariance was confirmed, while cultural invariance was partially supported at the configural and metric levels, but not at the scalar level. These findings provide a culturally adapted tool for assessing temporal dimensions of life satisfaction in emerging adults and support the TSWLS's cross-cultural utility in well-being research.