1. The Gross National Happiness Abridged Survey
Michael Pennock, Population Health Epidemiologist, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria, BC. Canada
Dasho Karma Ura, Director, Centre of Bhutan Studies Thimphu Bhutan

2. During the fall of 2006 a population survey measure of Gross National Happiness was developed and pretested by the Centre of Bhutan Studies for use in Bhutan.
The final survey instrument was composed of 1500 variables across eleven domains and took between 4 to 7 hours to administer.
Attempted to use items from other national or international surveys so that comparisons with other applications would be possible.

3. Why Another Survey?
There are variety of surveys that measure happiness and life satisfaction
Other individual surveys measure individual domains
GNH Survey attempts to incorporate happiness and domains into one survey instrument

4. CURRENT STATUS: Bhutanese Survey
300+ interviews completed
Another 800+ to be completed by spring
Preliminary data analysis on original sample now being done by CBS

5. Generalizability
Many of the items were specific to the Bhutanese context and would not be relevant to other cultures or nations.
Six hour interview not feasible in most applications
A shorter and more generic version of the survey is being developed for use in other jurisdictions.

6. CHALLENGES Bhutanese Survey
Material wellbeing in non-cash economy
Five point response scales
Household heterogeneity
Time use
Translation of concepts such as quality of life

7. Largest Challenge Breadth of domains
Everything is related to happiness/unhappiness
How do you measure “everything” without a six hour interview

8. HAPPINESS AND WELLBEING
subjective happiness
general life-satisfaction
enjoyment of life and satisfaction with specific life dimensions
general life-stress
Combined into aggregate score

9. SPIRITUALITY
Importance of spiritual beliefs and activities

10. HEALTH General Health Questionnaire Self-rated health
Activity Limitations

11. FAMILY AND COMMUNITY Social Support Interpersonal Trust
Family Relationship
Community Belonging
Community Involvement
Community Security and Stability

12. TIME USE AND BALANCE
Time Stress
Satisfaction with Time Use

13. CORE VALUES
Importance of 13 core value dimensions

14. CULTURAL VITALITY Importance of cultural affiliation
Minority group membership
Experience of discrimination
Satisfaction with value directions in community

15. GOVERNANCE Satisfaction with political governance
Respect for rights and freedoms
Effectiveness of government institutions

16. ENVIRONMENT Importance of environment
Satisfaction with environmental conditions

17. LIVING STANDARDS Satisfaction with material circumstances
Areas of financial hardship
Relative wealth
Satisfaction with housing

18. Next Steps Critique from other cultural and language groups
Finalize abridged survey with further reductions in number of items
Further analysis of CBS data to identify summary variables
Pretest in different cultures

19. Interested?
Contact