title: Validation of Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) in a population of people using Secondary Care Mental Health Services.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) is a relatively new measure and to date has been validated in a number of populations, including student, general and adolescent samples across the UK. There is increasing interest in measuring the mental well-being of users of secondary care mental health services and therefore it is apt to validate WEMWBS for this population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the validity of WEMWBS in a secondary care mental health service user population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected from two NHS Trusts and one charity. Analyses are based on 1180 completed WEMWBS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  WEMWBS scores for this population are significantly lower than those in a general population (Mean 34.9, SD 13.8). Overall the data analyses supported the use of WEMWBS in this population sample. The Rasch analysis found that the majority of the items can be seen as measuring one dimension. The confirmatory factor analysis supports a one factor solution and thus, measures a single underlying concept.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from this study show WEMWBS to be a valid and reliable measure for this population sample.
authors.affiliation: a Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust , Middlesbrough , UK.
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bass
authors.affiliation: a Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust , Middlesbrough , UK.
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dawkin
authors.affiliation: b School of Health and Social Care, Teesside University , Middlesbrough , Middlesbrough , UK.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muncer
authors.affiliation: d Mental Health Concern , Newcastle , UK.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vigurs
authors.affiliation: c Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust , Newcastle , UK , and.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bostock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: WEMWEBS; mental well-being; validation