Conceptualizing Mental Health and Illness

Question 1

What are 2 possible definitions for mental health?

Answer 1

1. mental health is the freedom from suffering, abnormal behaviour, and distress
2. mental health is the absence of mental illness

Question 2

What 3 concepts need to be considered when defining mental health and illness?

Answer 2

Distress, abnormality, and dysfunction

Question 3

Define Distress

Answer 3

Mental = feelings of awareness, cognition, and behaviour 
Health = associated with feeling good
Illness = connotes feeling bad

Question 4

Define Abnormality

Answer 4

mental health and illness are constructs of normal and abnormal (assume abnormal = unhealthy)

Question 5

Define Dysfunction

Answer 5

person’s mental status makes it difficult for them to meet daily needs and fulfill typical responsibilities
- influenced by resources and environment

Question 6

How does WHO define mental health?

Answer 6

• individual realizes his or her own abilities
• can cope with normal stresses of life
• can work productively and fruitfully
• is able to contribute to one’s own community

Question 7

Advantages and Disadvantages to WHO definition

Answer 7

Advantages:
- ambitious and universally agreeable
Disadvantages:
- the ability to make a contribution to one’s community depends on a variety of factors (sexism, racism, and culture)

Question 8

DSM Strengths and Limitations

Answer 8

Strengths:
- flexible definition
Limitations:
- lack of solid and universally agreed-upon evidence
- states social deviant behaviour is not a sign of mental disorder unless it’s a result of dysfunction

Question 9

What are the 4 models of mental health and illness?

Answer 9

1. Biomedical model
2. Psychological-behavioural model
3. Social model
4. Biopsychosocial model

Question 10

Describe the Biomedical Model theory

Answer 10

• perceives mental health and illness as binary (mentally ill OR mentally healthy
• mental illness disrupts a person’s health like a disease
• no biomarkers

Question 11

Describe the Biomedical Model treatments

Answer 11

Brain-based intervention

1. psychopharmaceuticals - reduce symptoms
2. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) - electric currents that induce seizures (depression)
3. Genetic Interventions (future treatment)

Question 12

Describe the Psychological-Behavioural Model theory

Answer 12

• considers mental disorders to be patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are harmful to individuals
• mental illness arises as a result of person experiences and perspectives

Question 13

Describe the Psychological-Behavioural model treatments

Answer 13

1. Psychotherapy
   - talking and thinking with practitioner
2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
3. Psychodynamic therapy
4. Humanistic treatment
5. Existential approach

Question 14

Describe the Social model theory

Answer 14

• mental health is a social product (good or bad mental health are socially constructed and produced)
  -emphasis on social environment
  power and culture lead to labelling people as mentally ill

Question 15

Describe the Social Model treatments

Answer 15

1. Social Interventions
   - supported housing and employment
2. Demedicalizing
   - look at social causes rather than causes of mental distress

Question 16

Describe the Biopsychosocial Model theory

Answer 16

• biological factors, social conditions, and our own personal experiences all contribute to mental health
• social = social determinants of health

Question 17

What is the DSM?

Answer 17

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

• description of diagnosis
• checklist of symptoms
• practitioner observes and speaks with patient to make diagnosis

Question 18

What is the ICD?

Answer 18

International Center of Disease

• also used by researchers, governments, and health insurance companies
• defines what counts as a mental illness, who is deemed “sick” or unwell, and whether the costs of treatment are covered

Question 19

What are clinical scales?

Answer 19

• tool used to measure mental state with a series of “standard” questions
• answers given are used to determine severity of condition

Question 20

3 causes of bias in Diagnosis

Answer 20

1. Practitioner bias
   - race, gender, weight, training
2. diagnostic criteria
   - may make some individuals more likely to be diagnosed with a particular condition
3. DSM is based on Euro-American behaviour norms
   - lead to over-, under-, or misdiagnosis of individuals from other backgrounds
   - unrecognized race / class bias among those creating diagnostic criteria