How you choose is as important as what you choose: Subjective quality of choice predicts well-being and academic performance

The paper proposes a new approach to measuring key parameters of choice as intentional activity. We developed and validated a 23-item questionnaire called the Subjective Quality of Choice (SQC) which measures four qualitative dimensions of choice: elaboration, emotional valence, autonomy, and satisfaction with the outcome. Three validation studies are presented. In the first study respondents from a large online sample evaluated the quality of important choices they made in life. Using structural equation modeling, we confirmed the structure of the SQC and investigated the associations of its scales with other measures. In the second study using a longitudinal design we replicated the structure of the SQC in a university choice context and investigated the criterion validity of its scales against well-being and academic outcome variables. In the third study we investigated the predictive validity of the SQC in a university applicant sample against an objective real-life outcome. The findings support the validity of the choice quality model.