Abstract
Background: To counteract the decline in mental health in Denmark and other countries worldwide, there is a need for a holistic approach and emphasis on mental health promotion in addition to treatment and prevention. The ABCs of Mental Health (the ABCs) is the first universal research-based framework for mental health promotion with three overarching domains: A) Act - Do something B) Belong - Do something with someone C) Commit - Do something meaningful. The overall aim of the ABCs is to promote public mental health through information and enhancement of mental well-being literacy.
Several scales aiming to measure mental health concentrate on assessing psychological symptoms. However, as mental health is more than the absence of symptoms, there is a need for measuring positive aspects of mental health e.g. mental health promoting behaviors.
Aim: The aim is to develop and validate a scale for measuring ABC-behavior e.g. how often and to what extent individuals carry out behaviours within the Act-Belong-Commit domains that can lead to better mental health.
Methods: Based on the ABCs two scales for measuring ABC-behavior was developed; one including only the three domains and one including sub-questions within each domain. Both scales are brief, making them suitable for inclusion in larger national surveys. They were embedded in a large national survey among 18+ years-old (N=127.000). An initial face validation was carried out through telephone interviews with respondents (N=300) in a pilot survey. Statistical validations and correlations with other measures of positive mental health are to be carried out.
Preliminary findings: The initial face validations showed that the scales were easy to understand but needed some adaptation before inclusion in the larger survey, carried out during the autumn 2023. The presentation will include results from the statistical validations of the two scales.
Conclusion: The development of a short and validated scale to measure mental health promoting behaviour, can contribute to monitoring populations behavior and aid decision makers in prioritizing initiatives that promote mental health.
Keywords: Mental health promotion, mental well-being, validation studies, mental health promoting behaviour, mental well-being literacy
Several scales aiming to measure mental health concentrate on assessing psychological symptoms. However, as mental health is more than the absence of symptoms, there is a need for measuring positive aspects of mental health e.g. mental health promoting behaviors.
Aim: The aim is to develop and validate a scale for measuring ABC-behavior e.g. how often and to what extent individuals carry out behaviours within the Act-Belong-Commit domains that can lead to better mental health.
Methods: Based on the ABCs two scales for measuring ABC-behavior was developed; one including only the three domains and one including sub-questions within each domain. Both scales are brief, making them suitable for inclusion in larger national surveys. They were embedded in a large national survey among 18+ years-old (N=127.000). An initial face validation was carried out through telephone interviews with respondents (N=300) in a pilot survey. Statistical validations and correlations with other measures of positive mental health are to be carried out.
Preliminary findings: The initial face validations showed that the scales were easy to understand but needed some adaptation before inclusion in the larger survey, carried out during the autumn 2023. The presentation will include results from the statistical validations of the two scales.
Conclusion: The development of a short and validated scale to measure mental health promoting behaviour, can contribute to monitoring populations behavior and aid decision makers in prioritizing initiatives that promote mental health.
Keywords: Mental health promotion, mental well-being, validation studies, mental health promoting behaviour, mental well-being literacy
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 2024 |
| Publication status | Published - 2024 |
| Event | 12th IUHPE European Conference on Health Promotion - Lodz, Poland Duration: 17 Jun 2024 → 18 Jun 2024 https://iuhpeconferences24.umed.pl/ |
Conference
| Conference | 12th IUHPE European Conference on Health Promotion |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Poland |
| City | Lodz |
| Period | 17/06/2024 → 18/06/2024 |
| Internet address |