Psychometric evaluation of the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) in Singapore: confirmatory analysis and measurement invariance testing for applied social work research and evaluation

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate specific psychometric properties of a latent-factor conceptualisation of mental well-being using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) in Singapore. We also examined measurement invariance and concurrent validity. A secondary self-report cross-sectional dataset (n = 3,043) was used. Results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated the SWEMWBS’s high internal consistency and unidimensional factor structure. Full invariance (i.e., configural, metric, and scalar) was observed across all demographic groups (i.e., gender, education, religiosity, and employment status), except race and marital status. Overall, as hypothesised, Singaporeans with higher SWEMWBS scores reported greater present and future life satisfaction and subjective health, and lower psychological distress. Altogether, the findings suggest that the SWEMWBS is a reliable, valid, and practical measurement tool which can be used to study mental well-being and evaluate programmes and interventions which seek to track and improve mental well-being in Singapore, where mental health is a national priority.