Using the Strengths-Based Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale Among Youth in Mexico

Background and Purpose:

The mental health field has historically been dominated by an emphasis on deficits and weaknesses, leading people in desperate situations to fixate on their shortcomings. In stark contrast to the deficits model, the field of social work has been a leader in spearheading a radical alternative approach, generally titled ‘the strengths perspective’. Along with practical approaches to guide social worker interactions with clients, another essential part of perpetuating the use of a strengths-based approach throughout the world is the development, validation, and utilization of strengths-based assessments for diverse countries. Unfortunately, many assessments that promote client dignity and identify strengths are not used in some countries simply because they have not undergone the requisite psychometric testing.

The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) consists of 14 positively worded items measuring subjective well-being and psychological functioning. Since its creation in the United Kingdom, it has been adapted by researchers in Spain, Chile, Argentina, and other countries throughout the world. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychometric functioning of the WEMWBS among youth living in Michoacán, Mexico, and take an initial look at their mental well-being.

Methods:

Youth attending a middle school in rural Michoacán, Mexico were recruited to participate in a study on health that took place during a typical school day. The authors collaborated with a Mexican research team (led by a school psychologist) who discussed the study and disseminated informed consent documentation to the parents of each student (N = 112; female = 48%; mean age = 13.2; response rate = 95%). Data analysis consisted of running simple descriptive statistics and a single-factor confirmatory factor analysis model.

Results:

The RMSEA, CFI, and TLI indices all met the criteria for acceptable fit (RMSEA = 0.080 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.056, 0.104); CFI = 0.940; TLI = 0.929). With few minor exceptions, the standardized factor loadings were all positive and of substantial magnitude. An initial review of the descriptive statistics suggested that mental well-being was not high among our sample. Only 5 of the 14 questions had a mean score higher than 4 on a 1-5 scale (higher scores = higher mental well-being), with the rest falling in the 3.39 to 3.93 range. The question with the lowest mean score asked youth about their optimism about the future (M =3.39, SD = 1.26), while the question with the highest mean score asked youth whether they had been feeling cheerful (M =4.41, SD = 0.92)

Conclusions and Implications:

With more than one-third of the Mexican population projected to struggle with a mental disorder at some point during their lifetime, the manner in which these individuals are assessed and assisted by social workers is vital to their long-term well-being. By incorporating positively worded strengths-based measures, such as the WEMWBS, helping professionals in Mexico can help circumvent much of the stigma and negativity surrounding mental health to help youth receive assistance in an empowering manner.