Psychometric properties of the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale in a sample of Danish schoolchildren

AIM

The aims of this this study was to examine the psychometric properties, including internal consistency and construct validity, of the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) in a sample of Danish schoolchildren aged 10-16 years.

METHOD

A total of 1155 schoolchildren (54% girls) aged 10-16 years (Mage=12 years, SD=1.3) responded to an electronic questionnaire as part of the Danish SELFCARE study. To examine the internal consistency and construct validity of the SWEMWBS, we performed descriptive statistics, reliability and correlation analyses in Stata as well as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in Mplus. Correlations between scores on the SWEMWBS and scores on scales from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were calculated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. The analysis was conducted on the general study population and in subgroups divided by sex and class (age groups).

RESULTS

CFA confirmed SWEMWBS one-dimensional factor structure, and the model fit the data well (CFI=0.984, TLI=0.97, RMSEA=0.062 and SRMR=0.021). The scale showed satisfactory internal consistency (ɑ=0.78) and composite reliability (ω=0.82). In addition, the scale was shown to have acceptable construct validity. Thus, correlations between scores on the SWEMWBS and SDQ subscales were in line with expectations. Corresponding results were found for subgroups divided by sex and class (age groups).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that the Danish translation of the SWEMWBS is valid for measuring well-being among Danish schoolchildren aged 10-16 years. This construct validation study is among the first to validate the SWEMWBS in younger populations.

The psychological consequences of stalking: cross-sectional findings in a sample of Danish help-seeking stalking victims

Background: The experience of stalking presents a threat to the mental and physical health and wellbeing of victims. Although some studies have explored the impact of stalking on victims, few have gone into detail about specific mental health outcomes and their association with various types of stalking behaviour.Objective: To investigate the psychological consequences among Danish help-seeking victims of stalking who have contacted and received help through the Danish Stalking Center (DSC).Methods: We used survey-data from stalking victims who sought and received help from the DSC during 2015-2020 (N = 591). Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, T-tests, and hierarchical logistic regression analysis were used to examine psychological distress symptoms and the relationship between psychopathological symptoms and stalking behaviour characteristics.Results: Victims reported considerable levels of stalking and psychological distress. Almost 80% of victims reported symptom levels indicative of a diagnosable disorder of PTSD, depression, or anxiety. T-test shoved that following behaviour had the greatest effect size for PTSD-symptoms (t(575) = -5.81, p < .01, d = -.58), anxiety (t(576) = -4.21, p < .01, d = -.42), and somatization (t(572) = -4.29, p < .01, d = -.43). Hierarchical logistic regression analysis showed that stalking victims who experienced following had significantly higher odds of experiencing symptoms of PTSD (OR 2.869; 95% CI, [1.641-5.016]) and anxiety (OR 2.274; 95% CI [1.265; 4.090]).Conclusion: Being stalked is associated with substantial PTSD-, affective and trauma-related symptoms and psychological distress in general. Together with the strikingly high levels of psychopathology and the particularly grave effects of being followed, it is indicated that stalking is a special type of trauma with many negative and harmful effects. Hence, further research into how to properly help stalking victims through preventive interventions and treatment is needed.

[Iodine deficiency in Salzburg in spite of iodized table salt prophylaxis]

Urinary iodine excretion was determined in 293 medical technical and nursing students in hospitals of the province Salzburg. The average urinary iodine excretion amounted to 46.6 +/- 18 micrograms iodine per gram creatinine. 67.6% of the students showed a deficiency of iodine II, whilst 98.3% had a deficiency of iodine I according to WHO criteria. Urinary iodine levels and natriuria are closely correlated, indicating that iodized table salt probably constitutes the most important source of iodine. 73 of the students had a palpable giotre, 10 of these being nodular. Our investigations, together with those of Innsbruck, Graz and Vienna, demonstrate the existence of generalized iodine deficiency in spite of iodized salt prophylaxis, which has been legally enforced in all of Austria since 1963. Iodized table salt prophylaxis has, thus, led to a drastic decrease in goitres in children, but is not sufficient to eliminate iodine deficiency in adults. An increased level of iodization of table salt, as has been put into force in Switzerland, must be called for in Austria, too.

[Biochemical data in the fluids of cystic degenerated euthyroid goiters (author's transl)]

Examinations of sera and cyst fluids in patients with cystic degenerated euthyroid goiters showed significant differences between the values of the cyst fluids and sera for almost all of the chemical substances. In the brown cyst fluids there are mostly higher values compared with the appropriate sera. Autolysis, diffusion and resorption, metabolic changes and, in the case of thyroid hormones, active incretion by wall-forming thyroid tissue, are the reasons for these differences in the concentrations.