In the literature of health-status assessment, it has been argued that quality of life has distinct meaning only if it is conceptualized and assessed according to a subjective perspective. This paper applies that viewpoint to the conceptual components of disablement and to assessing subjective well-being (i.e. subjective quality of life) as medical rehabilitation outcomes. The definition and measurement of subjective well-being are discussed, and its correlates for people generally are reviewed. Findings for people with disabilities are summarized, and several substantive and methodological issues are highlighted that require additional investigation.