Alekseev V.D. Validation of a Brief Wellness Questionnaire Among the Youth

Wellness, understood as a multidimensional well-being encompassing physical, psychological, social, and existential aspects of life, is an important construct in health psychology and preventive medicine. In Russia, there is a shortage of brief, yet reliable and valid wellness screening instruments for population-based studies, limiting the monitoring and early identification of at-risk groups.

Objective. To test, adapt, and psychometrically validate a short version of the author's wellness questionnaire based on the PERMA model among Russian youth.

Methods. The study included 961 respondents aged 18 to 28 years (M = 23.4; SD = 3.2), including 313 men and 648 women. The original version of the questionnaire included 21 items reflecting seven theoretical domains: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, value-existential, financial, and personal development. Statistical analysis was performed in JASP 0.98.1 using exploratory factor analysis (principal factors, oblimin rotation), confirmatory factor analysis with Satorra-Bentler robust correction, internal consistency assessment (Cronbach's α, McDonald's ω), and cross-validation on two independent subsamples. The influence of gender and age was tested using structural modeling.

Results. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure, which, after returning item q17 during the confirmatory analysis, was finally confirmed as consisting of 10 items. The factors identified were "Personal-Meaningful Development" (5 items), "Financial-Social Stability" (3 items), and "Physical Health" (2 items). The model demonstrated a good fit to the data in the full sample (CFI = 0.933, TLI = 0.899, RMSEA = 0.065, SRMR = 0.051) and was consistently replicated in two cross-validation subsamples (CFI = 0.917–0.942, RMSEA = 0.063–0.070). Internal consistency of the scales was as follows: Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.727 to 0.734, and McDonald's omega ranged from 0.728 to 0.774. Significant gender differences were identified: women had higher scores on the personal-meaning and physical factors, while men had higher scores on the financial-social factors. Age had no significant effect.

Conclusions. The short version of the wellness questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing key aspects of well-being in Russian youth. The questionnaire can be recommended for use in population studies, screening programs, and preventive work, and can also serve as a basis for further longitudinal and clinical research.

Key words: wellness, well-being, validation, factor analysis, cross-validation, gender differences

For citation: Alekseev, V.D. (2026). Validation of a brief Wellness questionnaire among the youth. New Psychological Research, No. 3, 232–247. DOI:  10.51217/npsyresearch_2026_06_03_12