doa- deviation from ideal mental health Flashcards
Who suggested that there were several criteria that needed to be fulfilled for ideal mental health?
Jahoda (1958)
What did Jahoda (1958) suggest about ideal mental health?
-several criteria needed to be fulfilled
-for ideal mental health to be achieved the individual should experience all of these criteria (for optimum mental health) and that the absence of these indicated abnormality.
What were Jahoda (1958)’s criteria for ideal mental health?
-Positive attitude towards the self
-Self-actualization
-Personal Autonomy
-Resistance to stress
-Environmental mastery
-Accurate perception of reality
Explain the ‘Positive attitude towards the self’ criteria for ideal mental health?
-Having a positive self-concept and identity, displaying positive attitudes towards issues such as confidence, self-reliance, self-acceptance.
-A negative self-concept may result in ‘abnormal’ behaviour.
Explain the ‘Self-actualization’ criteria for ideal mental health?
-Suggested by Maslow.
-Being in a state of contentment, feeling that you have become the best version you can be.
Explain the ‘Personal Autonomy’ criteria for ideal mental health?
-A person has the ability to make decisions and the inner resources to deal with hard knocks, frustrations and deprivations, because they are not dependent on others.
Explain the ‘Resistance to stress’ criteria for ideal mental health?
-Jahoda believed that we should be able to deal with stress without falling apart.
-We will have developed coping strategies to do so.
Explain the ‘Environmental mastery’ criteria for ideal mental health?
-If an individual is content in all areas of life, personal relationships, work, and is flexible then they fit into this category.
Explain the ‘Accurate perception of reality’ criteria for ideal mental health?
-The person has the ability to see things as they actually are rather than through ‘rose tinted glasses’ or in an overly pessimistic way.
What is the strength of the Deviation from Ideal Mental Health definition of abnormality?
-it is highly comprehensive
What are the limitations of the Deviation from Ideal Mental Health definition of abnormality?
-its different elements are not equally applicable across a range of cultures
-it sets extremely high standards
Explain the strength of the Deviation from Ideal Mental Health definition of abnormality that it is highly comprehensive?
-The definition includes a range of criteria for distinguishing mental health from mental disorder.
-It covers most of the reasons why we might seek (or be referred for) help with mental health.
-This means that an individual’s mental health can be discussed meaningfully with a range of professionals who might take different theoretical views.
-This means that ideal mental health provides a checklist against which we can assess ourselves and others and discuss psychological issues with a range of professionals.
Explain the limitation of the Deviation from Ideal Mental Health definition of abnormality that its different elements are not equally applicable across a range of cultures?
-Some of Jahoda’s criteria for ideal mental health are firmly located in the context of the US and Europe generally.
-Self-actualization would likely be dismissed as self-indulgent in much of the world.
-Even within Europe there is quite a bit of variation in the value placed on personal independence, e.g., high in Germany, low in Italy.
-Furthermore, what defines success in our working, social and love-lives is very different in different cultures.
-This means that it is difficult to apply the concept of ideal mental health from one culture to another.
Explain the limitation of the Deviation from Ideal Mental Health definition of abnormality that it sets extremely high standards?
-Jahoda’s criteria set an unrealistically high standard for mental health for most people.
-Probably none of us achieve them at the same time or keep them up for very long.
-It can be disheartening to see an impossible set of standards to live up to.
-Furthermore, it means that the majority of the population, using this definition, should be considered abnormal
-This means that it can be seen as an unrealistic definition of abnormality
