Exploring the structure and psychometric properties of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) in a representative adult population sample

This article reports the psychometric properties of both full and the abbreviated (Short) Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scales (WEMWBS; SWEMWBS) in the Finnish general population. A large cross-sectional dataset (N = 5,335) was collected as part of the nationally representative FinHealth Study in 2017. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the data evaluated one-, two-, three-, and bi-factorial solutions with a split-half approach. McDonald's omega was used to assess internal consistency and convergent validity was evaluated using four established mental health and well-being scales (BDI-6, GHQ-12, MHI-5, EUROHIS-QOL8). Contrary to previous findings, our results supported a three-factor model of the full scale with separate, yet highly correlated, mental, social, and eudemonic well-being factors. For the SWEMWBS, the bi-factor model showed the best fit, with a strong general mental well-being factor and a weaker specific eudemonic well-being factor. In this sampling context, the social aspect of mental well-being may be considered a separable construct from other mental well-being dimensions and the shorter 7-item version might thus be a preferable option when assessing overall mental well-being.

Mental Health and Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment Frameworks-A Systematic Review

Mental health is largely shaped by the daily environments in which people live their lives, with positive components of mental health emphasising the importance of feeling good and functioning effectively. Promoting mental health relies on broad-based actions over multiple sectors, which can be difficult to measure. Different types of Impact Assessment (IA) frameworks allow for a structured approach to evaluating policy actions on different levels. A systematic review was performed exploring existing IA frameworks relating to mental health and mental wellbeing and how they have been used. A total of 145 records were identified from the databases, from which 9 articles were included in the review, with a further 6 studies included via reference list and citation chaining. Five different mental-health-related IA frameworks were found to be implemented in a variety of settings, mostly in relation to evaluating community actions. A Narrative Synthesis summarised key themes from the 15 included articles. Findings highlight the need for participatory approaches in IA, which have the dual purpose of informing the IA evaluation and advocating for the need to include mental health in policy development. However, it is important to ensure that IA frameworks are user-friendly, designed to be used by laypeople in a variety of sectors and that IA frameworks are operational in terms of time and monetary resources.

Suicide prevention training: self-perceived competence among primary healthcare professionals

Objective: The aim is to report the outcomes of the suicide prevention training in terms of the self-perceived impact on the participants.Design: The three-hour training consisted areas of risk and protective factors, screening and evaluating suicide risk, raising concerns and confronting suicidal patients, and treating suicidal ideation in primary healthcare and the associated referral processes.Subjects: The studied participants consisted of general practitioners, nurses, public health nurses and social work professionals.Main outcome measures: Participants assessed their own competence on online form regarding four training areas prior to and two weeks after the training.Results: The response rate was 25%. The self-perceived competence of the healthcare professionals increased in all training areas and in all occupational groups. The healthcare professionals' competence regarding the risk and protective factors training area saw the greatest increase across all professional groups except nurses. There were, however, differences between the groups.Conclusion: Suicide prevention training for primary healthcare professionals did increase the self-perceived competence of the participants in all areas covered by the training. Regular follow-up training is required in order for these improvements to be further developed and retained.Key pointsAfter the suicide prevention training all participants self-perceived increase in their competence in all training areas.The GPs self-perceived most increase in risk and protective factors and nurses in raising concerns and confronting suicidal patients.The GPs' lowest increase was in the area of treating suicidal ideation in primary health care and the referral processes.

Profiles of subjective health among people living alone: a latent class analysis

Background

Living alone has increased globally and especially in Finland where 45% of all households are single occupancy. Epidemiological research has found that living alone a risk factor for a wide range of adversities related to quality of life but the rapidly-changing demographics of people living alone calls for a more detailed investigation of their subjective health status.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional survey sent for a random sample of Finnish residents in single-person households (n = 884), we explored with latent class analysis whether the respondents form different health profiles based on the three health dimensions defined by the World Health Organization: physical, social, and mental well-being. The identified groups were then compared in terms of demographic characteristics with the χ² test and quality of life using linear regression models. Sensitivity analyses were run using more refined, manual 3-step BCH method.

Results

Four distinct health profiles were found: Languishing (4%), Managing (35%), Healthy (30%), and Flourishing (31%). The groups differed in most socio-demographic aspects such as marital and employment status, but not in terms of geographic location or gender (apart from group Languishing that contained more men). Controlling for these socio-demographic differences, all groups showed different average levels of perceived quality of life to the expected direction.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that people living alone are indeed a very heterogeneous group in terms of subjective health. Instead of seeing living alone as a mere risk for low quality of life, concept of living alone should be understood more broadly both in public discussion and scientific research.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11396-2.

Intersectoral partnerships and competencies for mental health promotion: a Delphi-based qualitative study in Finland

The importance of intersectoral collaboration and partnership working in mental health promotion, together with the requisite competencies for effective collaboration, is widely acknowledged. This Delphi-based qualitative study examined how intersectoral collaboration and partnership work are constructed and adopted in mental health promotion practice. Descriptive data from a Delphi panel of mental health promotion practitioners working in the health sector (n = 32) were used as a data source. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Applying the theory of collaborative advantage, eight themes of collaboration advantage and the related competencies were identified: management structure, leadership, communication and language, common aims, working processes, resources, trust, and commitment and determination. The themes capture the competencies required to influence and work with others to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. The identified theme areas can be used to inform education and training and capacity building for professional practice in mental health promotion. Future research is needed to explore other possible collaborative advantage themes in mental health promotion practice and the competencies required to facilitate effective partnerships across sectors. Further investigations are also needed on the identified theme areas in order to develop and guide capacity building and training in mental health promotion.

Positive Mental Health of Finnish People Living Alone: The Role of Circumstantial Factors and Leisure-Time Activities

Living alone has become more common across Europe. Past research has consistently identified living alone as a risk factor for poor mental health while evidence on the positive dimension(s) of mental health has been scarce. Positive mental health has been associated with rather stable circumstantial factors, such as socio-economic characteristics and social relationships, and day-to-day activities in the form of leisure participation, in general populations. In this study, our objective was to assess these relationships among people living alone. We specified a structural equation model in a random sample of Finnish people living alone (n = 884), with the circumstantial factors as (exogenous) explanatory variables, participation in various leisure activities as mediators, and positive mental health as the outcome. In the model, more frequent engagement in several leisure-time activities, including being in contact with family/friends and physical activity in nature, were positively associated with positive mental health. The circumstantial factors that most strongly explained both leisure participation and positive mental health were the number of friends, being in a relationship, and having no limiting illnesses. In conclusion, among Finnish people living alone, social and functional factors appear to be more strongly associated with leisure participation and positive mental health than socio-economic factors.

Predicting high and low levels of positive mental health among people living alone in the Lapland region of Finland

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate positive mental health (PMH) and factors related to it among those living alone in the sparsely populated area of the Lapland region.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilises data from the Mental Health Survey of the Lapland region in Finland, covering 12 municipalities. The scores of short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (sWEMWBS) were categorised into three levels of PMH. Logistic regression models were used to separately estimate the odds ratios for the high level of PMH compared with the moderate level of PMH and the low level of PMH compared with the moderate level.

Findings

Social support seemed to be very strongly associated with both low and high levels of PMH among people living alone. Participating in activities provided by organisations or societies decreased the odds of having low PMH. Among men, young age predicted low PMH.

Originality/value

The number of people living alone in Finland and other parts of Europe is increasing, yet there are few studies focusing on their positive mental health (PMH). Using scales such as sWEMWBS adds to the authors’ knowledge about the positive mental well-being of those living alone, especially in rural areas, thus making it possible to utilise mental health promotion interventions effectively and accordingly.

Association between positive mental health and family background among young people in Finland

Background

Positive mental health (PMH) is an important construct for understanding the full continuum of mental health. The aim of this study was to examine the association of family background with the level of PMH among adolescents and young adults in Finland.

Methods

Data from population-based Finnish School Health Promotion Study targeted at year 8. and 9. students of comprehensive school and year 1. and 2. students of upper secondary school and vocational schools was used (n = 134684) for the study. PMH was measured with short Warwick-Edinburgh-Mental-Wellbeing-Scale (SWEMWBS) and examined on a continuum from languishing (low level of positive mental health) to moderate to flourishing mental health (high level of positive mental health). Associations between flourishing/languishing mental health and family background variables were analysed with logistic regression analysis, school level and gender were adjusted.

Results

Flourishing mental health was associated with intact family background, higher education of parents and better financial situation of family. In contrast, languishing was associated with non-intact family conditions (single parent family, parents divorced, stepfamily) and parents’ unemployment, lower level of education and financial problems.

Conclusions

Family structure and socioeconomic status of parents have an impact on PMH of young people. Young people with non-intact family structure and/or poorer socioeconomic status may lack positive sense of well-being, in other words they have challenges to enjoy their life, to believe in their own abilities, to cope with normal stresses of life, to study productively and to enjoy interacting with others. Targeted interventions and promotive actions should be directed for young people with challenging family conditions in particular.

Key messages

Investigating positive mental health (PMH) is essential for understanding the full continuum of mental health. Family structure and parents’ socioeconomic status have an impact on PMH of young people.

Mental health promotion competencies in the health sector in Finland: a qualitative study of the views of professionals

Aims: In this study, we aimed to investigate what competencies are needed for mental health promotion in health sector practice in Finland. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out to seek the views of mental health professionals regarding mental health promotion-related competencies. The data were collected via two focus groups and a questionnaire survey of professionals working in the health sector in Finland. The focus groups consisted of a total of 13 professionals. Further, 20 questionnaires were received from the questionnaire survey. The data were analysed using the qualitative data analysis software ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin. A content analysis was carried out. Results: In total, 23 competencies were identified and clustered under the categories of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and personal attitudes and values. In order to promote mental health, it is necessary to have a knowledge of the principles and concepts of mental health promotion, including methods and tools for effective practices. Furthermore, a variety of skills-based competencies such as communication and collaboration skills were described. Personal attitudes and values included a holistic approach and respect for human rights, among others. Conclusions: The study provides new information on what competencies are needed to plan, implement and evaluate mental health promotion in health sector practice, with the aim of contributing to a more effective workforce. The competencies provide aid in planning training programmes and qualifications, as well as job descriptions and roles in health sector workplaces related to mental health promotion.