WEMWBS

ABOUT

WEMWBS (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale) is the go-to insights tool trusted by leading organisations worldwide for accurately measuring mental wellbeing and impact. As the world's most validated mental health assessment, WEMWBS empowers both commercial and non-commercial sectors to promote positive mental health with confidence.

Used extensively by the government for population surveys, the NHS, and top global companies, WEMWBS provides an unparalleled solution for tracking the success of your mental health programs. Its robust scoring and in-depth comparative analysis allow you to easily measure, monitor, and improve the impact of your initiatives, —creating a healthier, more supportive environment for everyone involved.

Origins & Research

WHY USE WEMWBS

Proven Impact and Actionable Insights

Grounded in robust research and trusted by leading organisations, WEMWBS provides reliable data to assess mental health initiatives. Its proven effectiveness helps you make informed decisions, fostering positive change and enhancing wellbeing programs.

Flexible and Adaptable Application

WEMWBS is versatile, fitting seamlessly into commercial, healthcare, educational, and community settings. Its adaptability allows you to monitor mental health across diverse populations and contexts, ensuring effective evaluation in any environment.

User-Friendly in Multiple Formats

Available in both physical and digital formats, WEMWBS makes engagement easy for facilitators and participants alike. The holistic, positively worded questions integrate cognitive and functional aspects, providing a comprehensive view of mental wellbeing.

Global reach through Translations

WHAT WE OFFER

14 QUESTION SCALE

A comprehensive tool for measuring mental wellbeing, the 14 question WEMWBS effectively captures feeling and functioning changes with a threshold of just 3 points.

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7 QUESTION SCALE

A concise and efficient abridged version of the 14 question scale, the 7 question version focuses on key aspects of mental health, making it ideal for quick, precise
assessments with a detectable change of 1 or 3 points.

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DIGITAL FORM

The pre-approved digital version of the 14 question scale offers a quick, user-friendly way to deploy assessments, saving time and ensuring seamless data collection. Available in Qualtrics format. Other formats available on request.

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HOW TO USE WEMWBS

Before using WEMWBS, ensure you select the correct license for your needs. Each license is validated to support proper use, whether for commercial, non-profit, or academic purposes. If the incorrect license is selected, standard fees will apply to make the necessary adjustments.

Explore our options and find the best fit to maximise your impact on mental wellbeing.

Businesses and organisations commercial licence click here

students and not for profit licence click here

FAQ's

How can I use WEMWBS?

WEMWBS is a versatile tool for assessing mental well-being, with the ability to track meaningful changes, typically considered around 3 points. While it’s primarily focused on wellbeing, it also provides valuable insights into mental health, including identifying low scores that may indicate areas of concern, such as depression. WEMWBS encourages important conversations about mental health and has been successfully used to monitor changes at both individual and population levels. Though not specifically designed for spiritual wellbeing, it covers key elements like personal growth and connectedness.

Which groups of people can WEMWBS be used with?

WEMWBS has been validated for a wide range of populations, including children aged 11 and older, adults up to 74, and diverse cultural groups. Studies show it’s effective across various demographics, including those with learning difficulties, clinical populations, and occupational groups. While WEMWBS is validated for children aged 11 and above, it’s not recommended for those under 11, for whom the Stirling Children’s Wellbeing Scale or the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire are better suited. The scale has also been successfully used with ethnic minority groups in the UK, including Chinese and Pakistani populations, encouraging its use across diverse communities.

How well validated are both the 14 and 7 question scales?

WEMWBS has been extensively validated in adult populations, showing strong psychometric reliability across both the 14-item and 7-item scales. It has also been successfully tested with young people (13-15 years), ethnic minorities (Chinese and Pakistani), mental health service users, and their carers, all of whom found WEMWBS easy to complete and credible in assessing mental well-being. Mental health service users and carers have even expressed a preference for WEMWBS over other mental health scales.

(link to validation page)

Which organisations can obtain a non-commercial licence?

A non-commercial licence is made available for organisations whose main purpose is not directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation (“Non-Commercial Organisations”), including Public Sector Organisations (e.g. Universities, Schools, Public Health, Social Services, NGOs), Registered Charities, Registered Community Interest Companies and Registered Social Enterprises only. Further details on licence types can be found here (link to licencing page)

What resources are provided with the licence?

WEMWBS offers a range of resources to support its use, including comprehensive user guides for implementation and result interpretation, a practical workbook for evaluating services or interventions, and Excel templates for easy data analysis. Additionally, users can access translations of the scale along with associated validation studies, as well as other supplementary guides and references to ensure effective application of the tool.