Measurement matters: Part 2 – What’s so special about the Unmind Index?

In our last blog, we explored the need for the Unmind Index. This part will provide more detail, and how the Index can help you reflect on your MHWB over time.

What is the Unmind Index, and what was the thinking behind what it captures?

The Unmind Index is unique to the Unmind platform. Developed in collaboration with the Psychometrics Centre at the University of Cambridge, it is a measure of MHWB that comprises 26 questions.

At Unmind, we believe that everyone has the right to a healthy mind. Our mental health (or wellbeing) runs on a spectrum from flourishing to languishing, and everything in between. Alongside this, many of us will experience mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety, with differing levels of severity. 

And because our mental health is fluid, all of this can change over time. That’s why at Unmind we take a holistic view. It’s important to be reactive to help those who are experiencing mental health problems, but also be proactive to help reduce the chance of problems occurring and help people to thrive.

Our mission with the Unmind Index was to capture the whole spectrum of MHWB from key components of positive wellbeing to emerging or existing symptoms of common mental health problems.

This way all our users can understand and keep track of their MHWB and find areas they want to build on.

Which areas of MHWB does the Index capture? 

The Index encompasses a whole-person approach, capturing seven areas: Happiness, Sleep, Coping, Calmness, Health, Connection and Fulfilment.

The Index combines questions relating to the most common mental health problems (like depression, anxiety, stress) with questions about wellbeing. This makes it more meaningful for all our users, because purely problem-based measures don’t tell you anything useful if you aren’t experiencing a problem. 

Some of the seven areas focus more on problems (like Happiness and Calmness), and others focus more on wellbeing (like Connection and Fulfilment), but none are just one or the other. 

Because we know stigma can be a barrier to accessing MHWB support, and negatively-phrased questions may feel less relevant if you aren’t currently experiencing a mental health problem, the Index frames questions in a positive and aspirational way. For example, we talk about happiness rather than depression. 

How can the Index help you?

The Index helps you to know yourself.

We recommend completing the Index every two weeks. It’ll give you a fortnightly snapshot of your MHWB wellbeing across the seven areas, highlighting what’s going well and what you might work on. 

As you use the Index again and again, it becomes a useful tool for tracking ups and downs over time. It’ll also show you how using the Unmind app is making a tangible impact to your MHWB.

The Index provides personalised recommendations, so you can take action.

Based on your responses to the 26 Index questions, the platform provides personalised recommendations. Everyone has different needs and priorities, and these also change over time. 

When you want to work on an area, there are audio-based Tools or more structured Series to work through. Maybe you want to address particular symptoms, like stress, or focus on finding fulfilment. The choice is yours.

The platform also helps signpost you to trusted external services if more help might be needed. 

In part 3 we’ll talk you through how we developed the Index and how you can trust it’s doing its job properly.

(Missed part 1? Click here to catch-up.)

Find out more about Unmind

To learn more about nurturing the mental health of your organisation, click here to book a chat with one of our specialists.