# Uncovering Heterogeneity in the Measurement of Psychological Well‐Being in Non‐Western Culture: A Latent Profile Analysis of Ghanaian Undergraduates

## TL;DR

This study explores different patterns of psychological well-being among Ghanaian university students, revealing that well-being is not uniform and varies in culturally specific ways.

## Contribution

The study applies a person-centered approach to examine psychological well-being in a non-Western context, identifying distinct profiles that challenge assumptions of homogeneity.

## Key findings

- Four distinct psychological well-being profiles were identified among Ghanaian undergraduates.
- Well-being profiles varied significantly by age but not by gender.
- The profiles differed mainly in autonomy, personal growth, and environmental mastery.

## Abstract

Psychological well‐being among university students is often examined using variable‐centered approaches that assume population homogeneity. Using Ryff's eudaimonic model and a person‐centered analytic framework, this study examined latent profiles of psychological well‐being among Ghanaian undergraduates, offering insight into how the Western‐derived model functions in a non‐Western cultural context.

A cross‐sectional design was employed to sample 574 regular undergraduate students from a public university in Ghana. Students completed the 18‐item Ryff's Psychological Well‐Being Scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) followed by Chi‐square tests were performed using JAMOVI statistical software.

Four distinct profiles emerged: fully flourishing students (38.7%), harmonious life seekers (45.1%), purposeful self‐actualizers (7.5%), and aspiring actualizers (8.7%). The profiles differed primarily in levels of autonomy, personal growth, and environmental mastery. Well‐being profile membership was not associated with gender but varied significantly by age, although the effect size was small.

The study findings suggest meaningful heterogeneity in eudaimonic well‐being among Ghanaian undergraduates and highlight the importance of culturally sensitive, profile‐based mental health interventions beyond demographic assumptions.

Using latent profile analysis, this study identified four distinct psychological well‐being profiles among Ghanaian undergraduates, demonstrating heterogeneous configurations of eudaimonic well‐being and showing that profile membership varies beyond simple gender and age‐based explanations.