What are the characteristics of mental health?
- Mental health refers to an individual's:
- psychological and emotional wellbeing
- ability to function and cope with everyday life
- feelings about themselves
- Common disorders include:
- anxiety
- depression
- OCD
- ADHD
- schizophrenia
- Mental disorders were initially treated in the UK (and most Western, individualistic cultures) using the biomedical model i.e. drugs such as antidepressants are likely to be prescribed for someone presenting with depressive symptoms
- Marie Jahoda (1958) suggested a model of mental health in which there are six characteristics an individual should display if they have ideal mental health:
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Positive attitudes towards the self |
High levels of self-esteem and a strong sense of identity Knowing where you fit in the world |
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Self actualisation |
Personal growth and development Developing yourself and achieving the goals you set yourself in life E.g. Completing your exams to the best of your ability, buying a house, or getting your dream job |
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Autonomy |
Autonomy and ability to act independently from others, self-regulation Being able to work on your own and work out problems that may arise If you were left on your own, you would be okay and would be able to work things out for yourself |
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Integration |
Resisting stress and being able to cope in stressful situations Although we all face stressful situations, most should have the ability to accept and deal with them Coping with tight deadlines, celebrations, and moving house |
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Accurate perception of reality |
Having a realistic view of the world and not a distorted view Understanding how the world works E.g. If you were to be unsuccessful at a job interview, you could see that it may be that the other candidate was a better fit for the job and it is not about you as a person |
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Environmental mastery |
Meeting the demands of the environment and situation you are in, adapting This is the ability to adapt to your different environments and act accordingly in them E.g. In a romantic relationship, being loving with your partner whilst at work, maintaining professional relationships with your boss |
Evaluation of Jahoda’s ideal mental health characteristics
Strengths
- Jahoda’s model considers the whole person, instead of focusing on single behaviours which means it takes a holistic approach to diagnosing mental health issues
- The model includes a range of criteria for distinguishing mental health from illness which could help to guide diagnosis
Weaknesses
- The model does not take into account that the criteria are hard to achieve all the time, for example:
- not constantly self-actualising would be viewed as ‘abnormal’ which is simply an unrealistic and unhelpful idea
- The model tries to treat mental health in the same way as physical health, however, mental health is much more subjective and needs to be looked at in the context of the patient
Exam Tip
It is a common misconception that ‘mental health’ is the same thing as ‘mental illness/problem/disorder’. Mental health refers simply to the state of a person’s health which relates to their mind rather than to their body. You can be in good mental health or poor mental health, the same way that you can be in good physical health or poor physical health.
Worked example
Here is an example of a question you might be asked on this topic - for AO1.
AO1: You need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
Question: Explain what is meant in psychology by ‘mental health’. [2]
Model answer:
- ‘Mental health’ refers to an individual’s emotional and psychological wellbeing.
- Being in good mental health enables people to cope and function in everyday life and society.
- Mental health involves how someone feels about themselves and how they deal with life.
