Validation of the World Health Organization 5 (WHO-5) Well-Being Index in Pregnant Women: Psychometric Properties and Associated Factors.

INTRODUCTION

Conducting mental health screenings during the perinatal period is crucial for maternal and child health and requires valid and reliable instruments appropriate for the characteristics of pregnant women. The aim of this study is to validate the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) among pregnant women and to identify related factors.

METHODS

The study included 334 pregnant women in Türkiye and used the WHO-5, Psychological Well-Being and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression scales to collect data. Reliability and validity were assessed through Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's Omega, confirmatory factor analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Robust regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with well-being, with multicollinearity assessed via Variance Inflation Factors (VIFs).

RESULTS

The WHO-5 demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.844; McDonald's ω = 0.868), and its single-factor structure was confirmed. ROC analysis identified a cutoff score of 18, with a sensitivity of 69.68% and specificity of 49.32%. Regression analysis showed that well-being decreased with increasing age and was lower among women who did not attend regular prenatal check-ups, whereas pregnant women without health problems had higher well-being levels.

CONCLUSION

These findings support the validity and reliability of the WHO-5 for assessing well-being during pregnancy.