Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale Research Articles

The Efficacy of a Logotherapy Educational Program Based on Rumi’s Thoughts on the Mental Well-being of Chronic Mental Patients’ Families

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a logotherapy educational program based on Rumi’s thoughts on the mental well-being of chronic mental patients’ families. Methods: This study employed a semi-experimental controlled pretest-posttest design. The statistical population comprised families of all chronic mental patients (aged 18 to 60) who lived in Kermanshah’s rehabilitation and care facilities in 2020. One facility was randomly selected as the research sample, and 32 eligible individuals were randomized to experimental (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups. Upon assignment, both groups completed the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being scale (2007) as the pretest. Subsequently, the experimental group participated in ten 90-minute sessions of logotherapy based on Rumi’s thoughts. At the conclusion of the intervention, the posttest was administered to both groups. The data were analyzed using an analysis of covariance. Results: The findings revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups, indicating that the logotherapy educational program based on Rumi’s concepts increased the experimental group’s mental well-being compared to the control group (P < 0.001). In other words, families who participated in the Rumi-inspired logotherapy program experienced improved mental well-being. Conclusions: Families of chronic mental patients in our culture have a greater acceptance and comprehension of them. Furthermore, these cultural metaphors and allegories have increased the ability of chronic mental patients’ families to make sense of their sufferings, demonstrating its effectiveness as an intervention.

Assessing the Mental Health Status and Sleep Quality among House Officers in Peshawar

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the mental health status and quality of sleep among house officers in Peshawar and to determine the correlation between their mental health status and quality of sleep.METHODOLOGY This was a cross-sectional study, conducted on house officers of four tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire using convenience sampling technique. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scale was used for assessing the sleep quality and Warwick Edinburgh mental wellbeing scale (WEMWBS) was used for assessing the mental health status of the respondents.RESULTSAmong the 276 house officers, the mean mental health score was 48.13±9.17, and mean sleep quality score was 6.39±3.27. In comparison, female House officers had poor mental health status (female: 45.72±9.32, male: 49.83±8.70, p<0.05) and sleep quality (female: 6.91±3.77, male: 6.03±2.82, p<0.05. The hospital status showed no significant association between sleep quality (p value: 0.778) and mental health score (p value: 0.573). Furthermore, quality of sleep had a positive correlation with mental health status of house officers (p<0.01).CONCLUSIONMental health status and quality of sleep among house officers was poor. Female house officers had a poor mental well-being and a poor sleep quality compared to male house officers. There was no significant difference between the mental health status and quality of sleep, of house officers working in public hospitals and those working in private hospitals. House officers having a poor sleep quality also had a poor mental health status showing a positive correlation between the two

Postpartum Depression and Health: Role of Perceived Social Support among Pakistani Women

Postpartum depression (PPD) can predispose to physical and mental health problems in Pakistani women. However, PPD is associated with health and perceived social support, yet their causal relationship is unclear. Therefore, this study intended to evaluate the association of PPD with insomnia, mental health, and physical health. The convenience sampling technique was used to collect data from 320 (52.8%) young and middle-aged postpartum women, at the outpatient departments of obstetrics and gynecology of the Government Maula Bakhsh Hospital, District Head Quarter in Sargodha, Pakistan. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, patient health questionnaire, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used to measure study variables. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between PPD and physical health (r = 0.45, p = 0.001), negative relationships with insomnia (r = -0.24, p < 0.001), and perceived social support (r = -0.38, p = 0.001). Results further confirmed that perceived social support played a moderating role (β = 0.97, p = 0.01) in the relationship between PPD and mental health among Pakistani women. This study concluded that perceived social support has an important role in PPD and the health of Pakistani women. The study also concluded that poor health is a risk indicator for the identification of aid in the early stages of postpartum among Pakistani women.

Changes in mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study among Danes from 2019 to 2021

Numerous studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic had large influence on mental health during the first lockdown, but fewer studies have focused on the long-term influence on mental health. In a national longitudinal study, we examined mental well-being measured just before (fall 2019) and twice during (falls of 2020 and 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic. We utilized the Danish Health and Wellbeing Survey with questionnaires collected in 2019, 2020 and 2021 among the same study population consisting of 8179 persons. The outcome was mental well-being measured by the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS). Linear regression models were conducted to evaluate change in SWEMWBS from 2019 to 2021. The SWEMWBS distribution was similar in 2019, 2020 and 2021, although the distribution moved to lower scores in 2020 compared to 2019 and moved slightly to higher scores in 2021 compared to 2020. Mean SWEMWBS decreased from 24.8 (95%CI 24.7–25.0) in 2019 to 24.1 (24.0–24.2) in 2020 and increased to 24.4 (24.3–24.6) in 2021 (p < 0.001). The mean decrease from 2019 to 2020 and increase from 2020 to 2021 was strongest among women, persons below age 75 years, persons without depression and among persons with higher education and with employment. In conclusion, we find that mental well-being decreased from 2019 to 2020 and slightly increased from 2020 to 2021 without reaching the pre-pandemic level. These changes are statistically significant but small and support that COVID-19 may only have had a small long-term influence on mental health in the general population.

Examining the relationship between the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS) and EQ-5D-5L and comparing their psychometric properties

BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS) and EQ-5D-5L and compare their psychometric properties in 4 chronic conditions in China.MethodsParticipants were invited to complete the online survey. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to evaluate the correlation between SWEMWBS and EQ-5D-5L; exploratory factor analysis was used to ascertain the number of unique underlying latent factors measured by SWEMWBS and EQ-5D-5L. Next, we assessed the psychometric properties of SWEMWBS and EQ-5D-5L by reporting distributions and examining their known-group validity and convergent validity.ResultsIn total, 500 individuals participated the online survey. Spearman’s rank correlation showed that EQ-5D-5L dimensions, except for the anxiety/depression dimension, were weakly correlated with all dimensions of SWEMWBS. The two-factor solution for exploratory factor analysis found that all of SWEMWBS dimensions loaded onto one factor, four EQ-5D-5L dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities and pain/discomfort) onto another, and the EQ-5D-5L item of anxiety/depression item loaded moderately onto both factors. Patients of four disease groups had different distributions of responses for both SWEMWBS and EQ-5D-5L. In terms of known-group validity, both the F statistic and AUROC value of EQ-5D-5L utility scores were significantly higher than SWEMWBS scores in all four pair-wised comparisons. The Pearson correlation coefficient between EQ-5D-5L utility scores, SWEMWBS scores and EQ-VAS was 0.44 (P < 0.01) and 0.65 (P < 0.01), respectively.ConclusionsSWEMWBS and EQ-5D-5L measure different constructs and can be seen as complementary measures. Both measures demonstrated good convergent validity and known-group validity with EQ-5D-5L being a more sensitive measure, even for mental conditions.

Mental well-being as a predictor of quality of life in elderly agricultural workers

Purpose:In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the quality of life and perceived health status of agricultural workers over the age of 65 and to determine the relationship between quality of life and mental well-being.&#x0D; Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted on elderly agricultural workers(196 people) living in a rural area in Aydın. The European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions 3-Level Questionnaire was used to assess quality of life and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale(WEMWBS) was used to assess mental well-being. T test and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical evaluation.&#x0D; Results:The mean age of the participants was 70.92±6.22 and 50.5% of them were male. In study, three out of four people had experienced some problems in any dimensions of the quality of life. The participants' WEMWBS mean score was 47.12±7.79 and the mean perceived health status was 50.64±22.03. There was a positive and high correlation between mental well-being and perceived health level(r=0.432,p

Impact of dialectic behavior therapy and assertiveness training on mental health of socially stressed senior secondary students

Social stress from substance abuse is common and worrisome, especially among adolescents. Therefore, this study examined “Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Assertiveness Training” in the management of mental health problems of high school seniors who abuse substances. In the resADDREearch, quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design were used. The research was conducted with 75 students using the multi-stage sampling method. Tools used to collect data are Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Family/Friend Issue, Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale, and Social Phobia Inventory. Two research questions were raised, and two research hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference in the psychosocial problems of adolescents in high school seniors as a result of the interventions, but dialectical behavioral Therapy had a greater effect in reducing adolescents’ social stress, although both treatments had significant effects. Based on the findings, it was recommended that assertiveness education be added to the secondary school curriculum to reduce the incidence of substance abuse.&#x0D; Keywords: Mental health, substance abuse, dialectic behavior therapy, assertiveness training.

Associations of time spent gardening with mental wellbeing and life satisfaction in mid-to-late adulthood

There is relatively limited research investigating the mental health benefits of gardening. In this cross-sectional study, survey data from 4,919 middle-aged and older adults (46–80 years, 57% women) from Brisbane, Australia, were used to examine the associations of time spent gardening (0, 1–149 or ≥150 min/week) with indicators of mental wellbeing (measured with the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing scale) and singe-item measure of life satisfaction. We also investigated whether such associations differed between younger and older age groups (≤63 years and >64 years). Multilevel linear regression models were used to control for individual- and area-level confounders (e.g., gender, neighbourhood disadvantage). Of all participants, 37% reported no gardening, 42% reported gardening for 1–149 min weekly, and 21% reported ≥150 min of weekly gardening. Compared to participants who did not engage in gardening, those who gardened for ≥150 min per week were more likely to report better mental wellbeing (β = 0.64, 95% CI [0.35, 0.93], p < .001; range 7–35) and life satisfaction (β = 0.33, 95% CI [0.18, 0.48], p <. 001; range 1–10). Stratified analyses revealed that these effects were stronger for participants aged 64 years and older. These findings contribute to a burgeoning body of research that indicates gardening may be beneficial for mental health and life satisfaction, that gardening for at least 2.5 hrs per week is linked with better mental health outcomes, and that gardening may be particularly beneficial for older adults.

Exploring mechanistic pathways linking urban green and blue space to mental wellbeing before and after urban regeneration of a greenway: Evidence from the Connswater Community Greenway, Belfast, UK

Urban regeneration of urban green and blue spaces (UGBS) is assumed to benefit residents’ mental wellbeing. However, the mechanistic pathways linking UGBS to wellbeing before vs. after regeneration remain unclear. This study assessed the mediating roles of subjective perceptions of the environment and instoration indicators (social capital and physical activity) linking UGBS proximity and mental wellbeing along the Connswater Community Greenway (CCG) in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Repeated cross-sectional household survey data were collected from adult residents who lived within a ≤1-mile radius of the CCG pre-intervention (2010/2011; n = 866) and six months post implementation (2016/2017; n = 866). The CCG intervention involved the development of an urban greenway which included 19 km of new and improved cycle paths and walkways, physical improvements (e.g., planting trees and shrubs) coupled with social programs (e.g., organized walking groups). Mental wellbeing was assessed using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), and UGBS exposure was measured as the distance from the home address to the nearest CCG access point. Subjective environment perceptions included attractiveness, traffic, amenities, and perceived safety. Instoration indicators included physical activity, social trust, and social networks. Structural equation models assessed the differential pathways between UGBS exposure and mental wellbeing before vs. after implementation. Results offered no significant support for the notion that distance to the CCG impacted mental wellbeing before the intervention. In contrast, after the intervention, distance to the CCG was indirectly and directly associated with mental wellbeing. Mediating pathways included amenities positively impacting physical activity, and perceived safety positively impacting social trust. These findings provide evidence that UGBS influences mental wellbeing through multiple mechanistic pathways including changing people’s subjective perceptions and promoting instoration after the development of a new urban greenway.

Improving the mental health and well-being of healthcare providers using the transcendental meditation technique during the COVID-19 pandemic: A parallel population study.

Frontline Healthcare provider (HCP) burnout has dramatically increased due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Hospitals are supporting wellness programs and techniques to reduce burnout including the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique. This study evaluated the use of TM on HCP symptoms of stress, burnout and wellness. A total of 65 HCPs at three South Florida hospitals were recruited and instructed in the TM technique which they practiced at home for 20 minutes twice a day. A parallel lifestyle as usual control group was enrolled. Validated measurement scales (Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey [MBI-HSS (MP)] and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS) were administered at baseline, 2 weeks, one and three months. No significant demographic differences were seen between the 2 groups; however, some baseline scales were higher in the TM group. TM average weekly session completion rate was very high at 83%. After 2-weeks, symptoms of somatization, depression, and anxiety in the TM group had all shown near 45% reductions, while insomnia, emotional exhaustion, and well-being had improved by 33%, 16%, and 11% respectively (P = 0.02 for somatization and < .001 for all others); no significant change was noted in the LAU group. At 3-months, in the TM group, the improvement in symptoms showed a mean reduction of in anxiety, 62%, somatization, 58%, depression, 50%, insomnia, 44%, emotional exhaustion 40%, depersonalization, 42%, and improvement of well-being 18% (for all p<0.004). P-values for between-group differences in change from baseline, based upon repeated measures ANCOVA covarying for baseline measurements, showed significance for all scales at 3-months. The study confirmed the reported significant and rapid benefits of the practice of TM and demonstrated its positive psychological impact on healthcare workers in a high stress setting.

An Investigation into the change in veterans’ well-being after EquineAssisted Activities

Equine Assisted Activities are used in a wide variety of situations to improve human well-being. This study investigated the effect of Equine Assisted Activities on the mental well-being of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder -diagnosed war-veterans using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale over three one-week phases. Veterans self-reported before and after each phase of intervention; the responses from the initial questionnaire were considered to be the baseline for future comparison. After one week (5 days) of equine assisted activities, 31 veterans' responses were significantly more positive than the starting baseline for the majority of questionnaire items. Participation decreased to 17 for week two, and 12 for week three with fewer significant differences recorded. Researchers concluded that results showed that Equine Assisted Activities increased mental well-being, with the biggest differences occurring in the initial intervention phase suggesting one week is an efficient intervention in this context.

Associations between eHealth literacy, mental health-seeking attitude, and mental wellbeing among young electronic media users in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aimed to examine the associations among mental health related eHealth literacy (eHL), mental health-seeking attitude, and wellbeing among Chinese young electronic media users during the COVID-19 pandemic. A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Guangzhou, China. The modified eHealth literacy Scale, Mental Help-Seeking Attitudes Scale, and Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale were used. Structural equation modeling (SEM) examined the associations between them and was adjusted by several controlled variables. Totally, 1,008 participants completed the questionnaire and provided valid responses. The eHL showed a statistically significant and direct effect on mental wellbeing in this sample. The higher the level of eHL, the better wellbeing of the participants. The mental health-seeking attitude is also positively correlated with mental wellbeing, indicating that the more positive attitude toward seeking mental health services, the better the wellbeing participants reported. The higher level of eHL is significantly associated with a more positive attitude toward seeking mental health services. Training to improve eHL may optimize young electronic media users' mental health outcomes. Development and use of a mental health specific eHL instrument in future studies should be encouraged.

Rasch validation of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) in community-dwelling adults

BackgroundWith the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and the recent political divide in the United States (US), there is an urgent need to address the soaring mental well-being problems and promote positive well-being. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) measures the positive aspects of mental health. Previous studies confirmed its construct validity, reliability, and unidimensionality with confirmatory factor analysis. Six studies have performed a Rasch analysis on the WEMWBS, and only one evaluated young adults in the US. The goal of our study is to use Rasch analysis to validate the WEMBS in a wider age group of community-dwelling adults in the US.MethodsWe used the Rasch unidimensional measurement model 2030 software to evaluate item and person fit, targeting, person separation reliability (PSR), and differential item functioning (DIF) for sample sizes of at least 200 persons in each subgroup.ResultsAfter deleting two items, the WEMBS analyzed in our 553 community-dwelling adults (average age 51.22 ± 17.18 years; 358 women) showed an excellent PSR = 0.91 as well as person and item fit, but the items are too easy for this population (person mean location = 2.17 ± 2.00). There was no DIF for sex, mental health, or practicing breathing exercises.ConclusionsThe WEMWBS had good item and person fit but the targeting is off when used in community-dwelling adults in the US. Adding more difficult items might improve the targeting and capture a broader range of positive mental well-being.

Exploring the psychometric properties of the Intellectual Disability versions of the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and Kidscreen10, self-reported by adolescents with intellectual disability.

There are no validated self-report measures that can be used to assess health and wellbeing in adolescents with intellectual disability (ID). The aim of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of two newly adapted self-report health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental wellbeing measures: the Intellectual Disability versions of the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (ID-SWEMWBS) and Kidscreen10 (ID-Kidscreen10). For this, we used data from a sample of 427 adolescents (aged 11-19) with ID recruited from special school settings. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to validate the factor structure of both measures. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability was analysed using intra-class correlation coefficients. The internal consistency measured using Cronbach's alpha was found to be in the range of 0.70-0.78, test-retest reliabilities were expressed using intra-class correlation coefficients that were found to be high for both measures (ID-SWEMWBS, 0.758; ID-Kidscreen10, 0.723), and the CFA supported the unidimensional structure of both measures. The results of this study indicate that the ID-SWEMWBS and ID-Kidscreen10 have very good psychometric properties and can be used as self-report measures to assess HRQoL and mental wellbeing in adolescents with ID.

Effects of self-expressive writing as a therapeutic method to relieve stress among university students

ABSTRACT Expressive writing is a therapeutic intervention which requires people to write about stressful life events and their emotional responses to those experiences. This study examined the effects of self-expressive writing in assuaging stress among university students. 166 university students first completed the Perceived Stress Scale and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Participants were then assigned expressive written tasks whereby they spent 10–15 min daily for seven days evaluating aspects of their daily stress, stress related emotions, and possible ways to cope. The questionnaires were then re-administered. The before and after scores were compared. The results revealed that participants showed significantly decreased stress from pre- to post-intervention. Furthermore, the findings indicated that participants reported significant therapeutic relief and improved well-being. Expressive writing may be a promising therapeutic option to reduce stress and improve well-being among moderately stressed university students. Furthermore, it seems to have potential implications for therapeutic treatment methods.

Effects of Skill Development Training on Mental Health and Well-Being among Women Residing in Kalohi, Tharparkar

The current research aimed to find out the effects of skill development training on mental well-being and mental health among women of Kalohi, Tharparkar. This particular area was selected because the people were deprived of basic necessities of their lives such as employment and shelter. 120 females belonging to the age range 14 to 25 years were recruited for the purpose of data collection through purposive sampling. The study was quantitative in nature. The participants were assessed through objective tests for mental health and well-being along with a qualitative interview for skill training assessment. Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (Tennant et al., 2007) and Mental Health Screening Form-III (Carroll &amp; McGinley, 2001) were used to assess well-being and mental health respectively. The Sindhi version of the scales was used for the convenience of the participants. Participants were divided into control (non-targeted) and experimental (targeted) groups through fishbowl technique. Pre-testing and post-testing on both groups were conducted to check the authenticity and effectiveness of the training. The results revealed that skill development training proved to be effective as mental health and well-being were significantly increased in the targeted group as shown in the post-testing. This study pointed out the necessity of self-helping tactics which aid individuals to fulfil their daily requirements and earn a livelihood.

Проблема субъективного благополучия спортивного тренера

&lt;p&gt;The purpose of the study is to analyze the structure of the psychological determinants of subjective well-being and identify the most significant set of determinants that form the resources of the psychological well-being in sports coaches. This parameter is important due to objective conditions, which significantly increases stress and reduces the quality of life of subjects of professional sport. The participants were 200 professional sports coaches (89 women, 111 men), M&lt;sub&gt;age&lt;/sub&gt;=39 years, M&lt;sub&gt;exprience&lt;/sub&gt;=12 years. The psychological determinants were measured with the Brief Differential Perfectionism Inventory (Zolotareva et al, 2021), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer &amp;amp; Jerusalem 1995), the Moscow Authenticity Scale (Nartova-Bochaver et al, 2021), the Self-Control Scale (Tangney et al. 2004), the Coach&amp;mdash;Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (Jowett &amp;amp; Ntoumanis, 2004).Psychological well-being was measured with two inventories: the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (Tennant et al., 2007) and the PERMA-Profiler (Butler and Kern, 2015).The structure of psychological determinants was reduced to four factors by factor analysis and then the determinants from each factor were regressed on the well-being measures utilizing stepwise multiple regression modeling producing the most significant set of the well-being determinants. The results showed that the resources of psychological well-being in sports coaches can be determined by four groups of predictors. The first group: meaning and positive emotions; the second group: authenticity dedication, and experience; the third group: achievements, negative emotions, involvement, and age; and the fourth one: meaning, self-efficacy, and age.&lt;/p&gt;

Mental-health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in adults with neurodevelopmental disorders

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted mental health globally. Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are at elevated risk of mental health difficulties. We investigated the impact of the pandemic on anxiety, depression and mental wellbeing in adults with NDDs using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 3058). Mental health data were collected pre-pandemic (age 21–25) and at three timepoints during the pandemic (ages 27–28) using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7, and Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. ADHD and ASD were defined using validated cut-points of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Autism Spectrum Quotient, self-reported at age 25. We used multi-level mixed-effects models to investigate changes in mental health in those with elevated ADHD/ASD traits compared to those without. Prevalences of depression, anxiety and poor mental wellbeing were higher at all timepoints (pre-pandemic and during pandemic) in those with ADHD and ASD compared to those without. Anxiety increased to a greater extent in those with ADHD (β = 0.8 [0.2,1.4], p = 0.01) and ASD (β = 1.2 [-0.1,2.5], p = 0.07), while depression symptoms decreased, particularly in females with ASD (β = −3.1 [-4.6,-1.5], p = 0.0001). On average, mental wellbeing decreased in all, but to a lesser extent in those with ADHD (β = 1.3 [0.2,2.5], p = 0.03) and females with ASD (β = 3.0 [0.2,5.9], p = 0.04). To conclude, anxiety disproportionately increased in adults with NDDs during the pandemic, however, the related lockdowns may have provided a protective environment for depressive symptoms in the same individuals.

Mental health and wellbeing of further and higher education students returning to face-to-face learning after Covid-19 restrictions.

This study aimed to examine the mental health and wellbeing of further and higher education students and the associating factors after returning to face-to-face (in-person) learning after Covid-19 restrictions. A cross-sectional study informed by student consultations was conducted using a survey design. Mental health and wellbeing were assessed using self-report items on the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS). Descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were conducted on data collected between December 2021 and June 2022. N = 1160 students participated; 69.6% between 16 and 25 years, 67.9% studying in the UK, 66.5% studying away from home, 60.2% identified as she/her, 59.8% studying at the undergraduate degree level, 42.5% belonging to non-White ethnic backgrounds, 29.6% identifying as having additional needs and 22.8% as sexual minority. Moderate anxiety (M = 13.67, SD = 9.92) and depression (M = 17.04, SD = 11.56) scores were mainly reported. Wellbeing scores (M = 20.31, SD = 3.93) were lower than the estimate for the pre-pandemic general population. Gender expression, sexuality, age, ethnicity, having additional needs, and level and location of study was associated with mental health or wellbeing. Individual coping styles, levels of self-efficacy and physical activity were also associated with mental health or wellbeing. Many students returning to further and higher education after Covid-19 restrictions experienced reduced mental health and wellbeing, and some students were at greater risk. Providing student-centred interventions focusing on self-efficacy, coping styles and physical activity may help improve the mental health and wellbeing of students.

Exploring the efficacy of a low intensity psychological intervention for family members and carers of individuals with a first episode of psychosis in early intervention services.

The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy, and explore carers' experience, of a brief carer focussed intervention in an Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) service using a mixed methods approach. Carers within EIP services were invited to have the intervention, comprising a psychoeducation and wellbeing component, and 153 carers completed routine outcome measures including the Brief Experience of Caregiving Inventory (BECI), The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWEBS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline and after the completion of the intervention. Separately, nine carers took part in semi-structured interviews about their experience of the intervention. The intervention resulted in improvement of overall well-being, a reduction in self-reported anxiety and caregiving experience relating to difficult behaviours and stigma/effects on the family. Overall, the carers' subjective experiences of the intervention were positive. Thematic analysis indicated epistemic trust indexed by the connection carers achieved with the service, an experience of being valued and of experiencing change through the intervention. A short, 8 weeks intervention delivered by assistant psychologists, may offer an effective method for facilitating understanding of the illness and acclimatizing to new challenges. Exploring the effectiveness of psychoeducation and capturing this with specific measures may allow the service to make meaningful adaptations to their intervention.