We're excited to spotlight Erin McCleary, an intern at Behavioral Health Consulting Solutions (BHCS), as she delves into the World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5). This tool is an invaluable asset for understanding well-being across diverse populations and settings.
The WHO-5 is a short, non-invasive questionnaire that measures the subjective well-being of individuals. It's a universal tool, translated into 30 languages and used across various countries and age groups.
The WHO-5 consists of five simple questions that tap into an individual's sense of well-being. Unlike other tools, it doesn't focus on disease, psychopharmacology, or biological markers, making it a pure measure of well-being.
Recent studies are synthesizing the psychometric qualities of the WHO-5, especially its reliability, validity, and responsiveness to change in mental health settings. The scale has shown high clinical validity and can be used irrespective of underlying illness.
The WHO-5 uses a Likert scale ranging from 0 ('at no time') to 5 ('all the time'). The raw score is then quadrupled, with '0' representing the worst imaginable well-being and '100' representing the best.
The WHO-5 is simple, free to use, and can be administered by any care provider. However, it does not include diagnoses, which can be both a strength and a limitation depending on the context.
At BHCS, the WHO-5 serves as a lens through which we view client well-being, irrespective of symptoms or disorders. It can be used alongside other tools like the PHQ-9 to provide a comprehensive understanding of a client's mental health. This approach aligns with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, emphasizing well-being as a fundamental aspect of mental health care.
The WHO-5 is not just a tool but a paradigm shift in how we approach well-being in mental health settings. It's becoming an integral part of our practice at BHCS, helping us to better serve our clients.
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