Development and testing of the Perceived Wellbeing in Outdoor Shared Spaces (PWOSS) scale

Accessible and high quality shared outdoor open spaces, both built and natural, can be particularly beneficial for health and wellbeing. The design and quality of shared outdoor spaces are often modifiable and the health and wellbeing-promoting potential of such spaces can, therefore, be enhanced. However, optimal modification of shared outdoor spaces requires a greater understanding of perceptions and experiences. Citizen Science projects can be particularly valuable for capturing experiences of wellbeing in different environments and shared outdoor spaces, although suitable validated scales are lacking. This paper aims to develop and conduct psychometric testing on the Perceived Wellbeing in Shared Outdoor Spaces (PWOSS) Scale. The study involves three key phases of scale development and evaluation: (i) identifying suitable domains and generating initial items for the PWOSS Scale; (ii) pre-testing the PWOSS Scale and conducting item reduction analysis and factor extraction to refine the scale items using a sample of potential users from Edinburgh, Scotland (n = 137); and (iii) evaluating the PWOSS Scale by testing for dimensionality, reliability and validity. The final PWOSS Scale consisted of nine-items. The factor analysis indicated a two-factor solution (positive and negative wellbeing. The results of the three phases suggest the PWOSS Scale is a valid and reliable scale that can aid our understanding of the link between wellbeing and shared outdoor spaces and environments. The PWOSS Scale offers significant value to Citizen Science projects and to urban planning and public health practitioners interested in modifying and adapting shared outdoor spaces to increase wellbeing.