Deviation from Ideal Mental Health Flashcards
What is deviation from ideal mental health?
Abnormal behaviour should be defined by the absence of particular (ideal) characteristics
Who created the six criteria for ideal mental health?
Marie Jahoda who stated that if a person does not have one or more of the criteria they would be classed as deviating form the ideal mental health
What are the 6 criteria?
- Self actualisation
- Environmental mastery
- Accurate perception of reality
- Resistance to stress
- Autonomy
- Positive attitudes towards self
What is self actualisation?
Being in a state of contentment, feeling that you have become the best you can be
What is environmental mastery?
The person can adapt to new situations and be at ease at all situations in their life
What is accurate perception of reality?
Having a perspective that is similar to how others see the world
What is resistance to stress?
An individual should not feel under stress and they should be able to handle stressful situations competently
What is autonomy?
Having the independence and self-reliance, the ability to function as an individual and not depending on others
What is postive attitudes towards self?
Positive attitude should be at a good level, so that the individual feels happy with themselves
What is a strength of deviation from ideal mental health?
It is very comprehensive as it covers a broad range of criteria for mental health which can help people get the help they need
What is a limitation of deviation from ideal mental health?
It is very specific to western cultures, so it is ethnocentric
What is another limitation of deviation from ideal mental health?
It sets an unrealistic high standard for mental health and probably none of us achieve all of them at the same time or keep them up for very long
