Assessing Core Abilities Across the Mental Health Spectrum : Development and Initial Evaluation of the E-SWAN-G
(2026) In Assessment- Abstract
We evaluated the Extended Strengths and Weaknesses Assessment of Normal Behavior—General Instrument (E-SWAN-G), designed to capture core strengths and difficulties across the mental health spectrum. A youth version was completed by 603 parents and an adult version by 607 adults, each comprising 60 items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported 13 identical first-order factors across the two versions: Concentrate/stay still, Tolerate closed/open spaces, Feel comfortable with body, Regulate distress, Regulate frustration, Perceive/understand others, Tolerate potentially dangerous situations, Communicate with others, Learn abstract concepts, Regulate motivation/energy, Tolerate messiness, Regulate sleep, and Abstain from... (More)
We evaluated the Extended Strengths and Weaknesses Assessment of Normal Behavior—General Instrument (E-SWAN-G), designed to capture core strengths and difficulties across the mental health spectrum. A youth version was completed by 603 parents and an adult version by 607 adults, each comprising 60 items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported 13 identical first-order factors across the two versions: Concentrate/stay still, Tolerate closed/open spaces, Feel comfortable with body, Regulate distress, Regulate frustration, Perceive/understand others, Tolerate potentially dangerous situations, Communicate with others, Learn abstract concepts, Regulate motivation/energy, Tolerate messiness, Regulate sleep, and Abstain from substances. Internal consistency was mostly good to excellent, concurrent and incremental validity were supported, and scalar measurement invariance held across the two versions. A brief 32-item version, with conserved psychometric properties, was developed. The E-SWAN-G, which is freely available, shows promise as a concise tool for profiling core abilities across the mental health spectrum in both youth and adults.
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- author
- Cervin, Matti LU ; Hoffmann, Mauricio Scopel ; Alexander, Lindsay ; Schafer, Julia ; Gosmann, Natan Pereira ; Swanson, James ; Milham, Michael Peter and Salum, Giovanni Abrahão
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- in press
- subject
- keywords
- abilities, bidirectional, E-SWAN-G, HiTOP, measure, mental disorders, RDoC
- in
- Assessment
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105034409390
- pmid:41913346
- ISSN
- 1073-1911
- DOI
- 10.1177/10731911261429639
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2026
- id
- 7c26685f-3681-44a4-8d30-07961bf498bb
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-26 14:39:26
- date last changed
- 2026-05-27 03:00:02
@article{7c26685f-3681-44a4-8d30-07961bf498bb,
abstract = {{<p>We evaluated the Extended Strengths and Weaknesses Assessment of Normal Behavior—General Instrument (E-SWAN-G), designed to capture core strengths and difficulties across the mental health spectrum. A youth version was completed by 603 parents and an adult version by 607 adults, each comprising 60 items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported 13 identical first-order factors across the two versions: Concentrate/stay still, Tolerate closed/open spaces, Feel comfortable with body, Regulate distress, Regulate frustration, Perceive/understand others, Tolerate potentially dangerous situations, Communicate with others, Learn abstract concepts, Regulate motivation/energy, Tolerate messiness, Regulate sleep, and Abstain from substances. Internal consistency was mostly good to excellent, concurrent and incremental validity were supported, and scalar measurement invariance held across the two versions. A brief 32-item version, with conserved psychometric properties, was developed. The E-SWAN-G, which is freely available, shows promise as a concise tool for profiling core abilities across the mental health spectrum in both youth and adults.</p>}},
author = {{Cervin, Matti and Hoffmann, Mauricio Scopel and Alexander, Lindsay and Schafer, Julia and Gosmann, Natan Pereira and Swanson, James and Milham, Michael Peter and Salum, Giovanni Abrahão}},
issn = {{1073-1911}},
keywords = {{abilities; bidirectional; E-SWAN-G; HiTOP; measure; mental disorders; RDoC}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{Assessment}},
title = {{Assessing Core Abilities Across the Mental Health Spectrum : Development and Initial Evaluation of the E-SWAN-G}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10731911261429639}},
doi = {{10.1177/10731911261429639}},
year = {{2026}},
}