The emoji current mood and experience scale: the development and initial validation of an ultra-brief, literacy independent measure of psychological health.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in measuring wellbeing and mental health in a range of settings and services outside conventional mental health care settings. However, ensuring that measurement does not intrude on the primary service activity whilst promoting inclusion through minimizing literacy demands, requires ultra-brief and easy to use tools. AIMS: To develop and test a brief emoji-based tool to assess mental health, wellbeing, resilience and community connection. METHOD: In study 1, 672 adults completed an online questionnaire study comprising a new emoji measure and established questionnaires assessing mental health, resilience, community connection and wellbeing. In study 2, 415 participants completed a paper-and-pencil version of the emoji measure, mental health and community connection, with 212 individuals providing data at a second time point. RESULTS: Multidimensional scaling revealed a meaningful structure to the emoji measure with validity demonstrated through relationships to existing scales. Stability over time and sensitivity to change were also demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: The emoji-based measure presented here provides an ultra-brief measure of mood and current experience, with minimal literacy demands on participants. Further research is now needed to test the properties and utility of the scale with other participant groups.

Using engagement in sustainable construction to improve mental health and social connection in disadvantaged and hard to reach groups: a new green care approach.

Background: The positive impact of the outdoors on physical and mental health is increasingly being evidenced. However, the impact on vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals engaging in group based sustainable building construction has not been examined.Aim: To provide the first pragmatic examination of the impact of engaging in a brief (8 days over 8 weeks) outdoor sustainable construction project on the mental health and social connectedness of hard to reach and disadvantaged groups.Methods: In study 1, 93 young people not in education, employment or training took part whilst study 2 comprised 55 adults who were asylum seekers, long-term unemployed or men with longstanding depression. Self-report data were collected at baseline and towards the end of the programme.Results: Those with poor mental health and social connection at baseline showed statistically and clinically significant improvements in depression, anxiety, resilience and social connection by the end of the brief intervention.Conclusion: Engagement in a group based sustainable construction project can provide significant mental health and social benefits to a range of vulnerable and hard to reach groups with difficulties in these areas. Building on these findings could be important for health and social care policy for marginalised groups.