Understanding individuals’ well-being in higher education: A critical review of the WarwickEdinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and its implications

Abstract

This article presents a critical review of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-be- his article presents a critical review of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) and its implications for understanding individuals' well-be- ng Scale (WEMWBS) and its implications for understanding individuals' well-being in higher education. The review is structured into four main sections: the ng in higher education. The review is structured into four main sections: the validation and psychometric properties of the WEMWBS, associations between alidation and psychometric properties of the WEMWBS, associations between student well-being and the WEMWBS, interventions and programs promoting tudent well-being and the WEMWBS, interventions and programs promoting student well-being, and a comparative analysis of the WEMWBS with the Men- tudent well-being, and a comparative analysis of the WEMWBS with the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS). The al Health Literacy Scale (MHLS). The first section focuses on the validation and rst section focuses on the validation and psychometric properties of the WEMWBS, providing an in-depth examination sychometric properties of the WEMWBS, providing an in-depth examination of its development and validation process. This includes an exploration of the f its development and validation process. This includes an exploration of the rigorous methodologies employed to establish the reliability, validity, and factor igorous methodologies employed to establish the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the scale, ensuring its suitability for assessing mental well-being in tructure of the scale, ensuring its suitability for assessing mental well-being in diverse populations within the higher education context. Moving forward, the iverse populations within the higher education context. Moving forward, the article investigates the associations between student well-being and the WEM- rticle investigates the associations between student well-being and the WEMWBS. This section offers valuable insights into the potential of the WEMWBS BS. This section offers valuable insights into the potential of the WEMWBS as a valuable tool for screening and assessing student well-being in higher edu- s a valuable tool for screening and assessing student well-being in higher education settings. The third section delves into interventions and programs aimed ation settings. The third section delves into interventions and programs aimed at promoting student well-being in higher education. It explores how the WEM- t promoting student well-being in higher education. It explores how the WEMWBS has been utilized in evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions, shedding light on how the scale can inform the design and evaluation of initia- hedding light on how the scale can inform the design and evaluation of initiatives that enhance student well-being. This section provides a comprehensive ives that enhance student well-being. This section provides a comprehensive overview of the practical implications of the WEMWBS in fostering positive verview of the practical implications of the WEMWBS in fostering positive well-being outcomes among university students. Lastly, the article presents a ell-being outcomes among university students. Lastly, the article presents a comparative analysis of the WEMWBS with the Mental Health Literacy Scale omparative analysis of the WEMWBS with the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS). By examining the similarities, differences, and potential complemen- MHLS). By examining the similarities, differences, and potential complementarity between these two scales, this section offers insights into their respective arity between these two scales, this section offers insights into their respective strengths and limitations in capturing different aspects of individual well-being trengths and limitations in capturing different aspects of individual well-being within the higher education context. It addresses the importance of considering ithin the higher education context. It addresses the importance of considering multiple dimensions of well-being and mental health literacy when assessing and ultiple dimensions of well-being and mental health literacy when assessing and supporting the well-being of students in higher education.