Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI)

The psychological general well-being index (PGWBI) is a 22-item self-report questionnaire widely used for evaluating perceived well-being and psychological distress. It encompasses six subscales, including anxiety, depressed mood, positive well-being, self-control, general health, and vitality. The PGWBI has undergone validation within clinical and community samples across various countries, demonstrating good internal consistency and validity. It has been translated into more than 30 languages, broadening its applicability in diverse research settings. In addition, short forms of the PGWBI have been developed to simplify the assessment process. However, the PGWBI is not without its limitations. While the global PGWBI score remains valid for measuring perceived well-being and psychological distress, studies have revealed inconsistent factor structures across samples, with one-, two-, or three-factor structures emerging instead of the original six-factor model. Furthermore, the varied response matrices can potentially increase response burden on participants. Despite these limitations, the PGWBI remains a widely used and reliable tool to assess perceived well-being and psychological distress, including in mindfulness research.