ABOUT THE 6W-WEB QUESTIONNAIRE
(Click here to watch a quick video about the Six Ways to Well-Being!)
The Six Ways to Well-Being (6W-WeB) is a measure of valued action (anything that an individual finds important and meaningful). It assesses valued activity in 6 behavioural domains that have been shown to promote well-being and mental health:
Connecting with Others
This involves engaging in social relationships with the people around you (e.g., family, friends, neighbours, or community groups). Good quality social relationships can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety,
E.g., having a coffee with a friend or meeting new people.
Challenging Oneself
Challenging yourself and learning new things has been shown to enhance self-esteem, optimism, and satisfaction with life.
E.g., learning to play the piano or developing coding skills.
Giving to Others
Helping others not only benefits the receiver of the helping behaviour, but also the doer. Can improve life-satisfaction and self-esteem, while reducing levels of felt hopelessness and depression.
E.g., Volunteering your time at the local shelter or donating to charity.
Physical Activity
Exercising can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and prevent new symptoms. It is also associated with improved physical function, lower blood pressure, and reduced illness, higher levels of happiness and life-satisfaction.
E.g., Cycling, running, doing yoga.
Embracing the Moment
This is how you get fully involved in the present moment – using your complete attention and awareness to do what you are doing in that moment.
E.g., paying full attention to a conversation you’re having or to the taste of your food.
Caring for Oneself
This involves caring for your body and mind. Looking after yourself has been associated with a more positive mood, better cognitive functioning, pain modulation, alertness, and quality of life.
E.g., maintaining a healthy diet, having a regular bedtime, doing something relaxing after a hard day.
Although these behaviours are important for well-being, research shows that the motivation for engaging in them is important. It is when we engage in a behaviour because we want to - rather than being forced to do so or because we feel guilty - that we really notice improvements in well-being. Thus, the 6W-WeB not only assesses how much an individual engages in each of these six behaviours, but also why they engage in them.
Click here to download a copy of the 6W-WeB. Please get in touch for any queries you may have.
Geet developed the 6W-WeB along with her PhD supervisors, Professor Joseph Ciarrochi and Dr. Baljinder Sahdra. Geet’s thesis was the first to combine all six behaviours into one coherent framework. Her work was substantially based on the New Economic Foundation’s 5 Ways to Well-Being, which included the first five behaviours mentioned above.
You can read more about the questionnaire, and the development of the Six Ways to Well-Being framework in Geet’s thesis.
Further information about the theoretical underpinnings of the 6W-WeB can be found here:
New Economic Foundation’s 5 Ways to Wellbeing