**L3 - Deviation from Ideal Mental Health Flashcards
what is the DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH DEFINITION OF ABNORMALITY?
Under this definition, behaviour is ABNORMAL if it FAILS TO MEET PRESCRIBED CRITERIA for PSYCHOLOGICAL NORMALITY
what did JAHODA propose?
JAHODA devised the CONCEPT OF IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH.
She identified SIX CHARACTERISTICS that INDIVIDUALS SHOULD EXHIBIT IN ORDER TO BE CLASSED AS ‘NORMAL’
An ABSENCE OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS INDICATES THAT AN INDIVIDUAL IS ABNORMAL.
The MORE CRITERIA AN INDIVIDUAL FAILS TO MEET, THE MORE ABNORMAL THEY ARE
what are the 6 criteria proposed by JAHODA? (SPAREA)
1) (S) Self Actualisation
2) (P) Positive attitudes towards oneself
3) (A) Autonomy
4) (R) Resistance to stress
5) (E) Environmental Mastery
6) (A) Accurate perception of reality
what is the ‘S’ in SPAREA?
SELF ACTUALISATION is EXPERIENCING PERSONAL GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT, REACHING ONES FULL POTENTIAL and FEELING FULFILLED
what is the ‘P’ in SPAREA?
Individuals must have POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS ONSELF - having SELF RESPECT. HIGH SELF ESTEEM, CONFIDENCE and a POSITIVE SELF CONCEPT
what is the ‘A’ in SPAREA? (first A)
The individual must be AUTONOMOUS, being INDEPENDENT, SELF RELIANT and ABLE TO MAKE PERSONAL DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES
what is the ‘R’ in SPAREA?
The individual must also be able to RESIST STRESS.
They should have EFFECTIVE COPING STRATEGIES and BE ABLE TO MANAGE EVERYDAY ANXIETY PROVOKING and STRESSFUL SITUATIONS
what is the ‘E’ in SPAREA?
The individual should have ENVIRONMENTAL MASTERY.
Being COMPETENT IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE and the ABILITY TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF ANY SITUATION and the FLEXIBILITY to ADAPT TO CHANGING LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES
what is the ‘A’ in SPAREA? (Second A)
The individual should have an ACCURATE PERCEPTION OF REALITY.
Perceiving the world in a NON DISTORTED FASHION abs having an OBJECTIVE and REALISTIC VIEW OF THE WORLD (not having hallucinations or delusions)
+ COMPREHENSIVE CRITERIA (LIMITATIONS OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH)
+ this is a COMPREHENSIVE CRITERIA for MENTAL HEALTH which is based on SIMILAR MODELS FOR PHYSICAL HEALTH
HOWEVER, MENTAL HEALTH MAY NOT WORK IN THE SAME WAY
+ POSITIVE (LIMITATIONS OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH)
+ this definition of abnormality is A POSITIVE, HOLISTIC APPROACH TO DIAGNOSIS.
It gives people a TARGET FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, that they can keep STRIVING TOWARDS as they KEEP ON TRYING TO IMPROVE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
- DEMANDING AND UNREALISTIC (LIMITATIONS OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH)
- this CRITERIA is very DEMANDING and UNREALISTIC.
At any given moment MOST PEOPLE DO NOT MEET ALL THE IDEALS.
For example, FEW PEOPLE EXPERIENCE SELF ACTUALISATION AT ALL TIMES IN THEIR LIFE
- VAGUE AND DIFFICULT (LIMITATIONS OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH)
- many of the CRITERIA, such as SELF ACTUALISATION are VAGUE and DIFFICULT TO MEASURE and are THEREFORE SUBJECTIVE AND UNSCIENTIFIC.
How can we actually tell that someone has REACHED THEIR FULL POTENTIAL? - we can only assume this or guess
- CULTURAL BIAS (LIMITATIONS OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH)
- the CRITERIA used to JUDGE IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH can be accused of CULTURAL BIAS.
COLLECTIVIST CULTURES emphasise COMMUNAL GOALS and regard AUTONOMY AS UNDESIRABLE, UNLIKE INDIVIDUALISTIC CULTURES.
Therefore people from these COLLECTIVIST CULTURES may be seen as ABNORMAL USING THE CRITERIA LAID OUT IN THIS DEFINITION
