Abstract
This study describes the construction and evaluation of an instrument for measuring psychological well-being in refugees. A 16-item scale, ‘How do you feel?’, for concurrent measurement of present and previous well-being was constructed and translated into five languages. Male war-wounded refugees were tested during hospitalization shortly after arrival (n= 60) and after two years (n= 53). The group was culturally heterogenous. The reliability was acceptable (0.78–0.92). Construct validation yielded acceptable validity. Back-translations indicated minor ambiguities. A revised 10-item version is suggested for future use. The scale is easily administered and provides a potentially useful screening instrument to complement medical examinations. It can also be used for evaluating prevention programs and for research purposes.
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