Lesson 4: Deviation from Ideal Mental Health (Marie Jahoda)- Definition of Abnormality

Question 1

Self actualisation

Answer 1

Humans should strive to reach their full potential. Normal people strive to achieve a series of goals or needs in order top reach self actualisation. Abnormality could occur if a person fails to achieve their goals or meet the necessary criteria.

Question 2

Jahodas 6 criteria for positive mental health (APPIES)

Answer 2

Autonomy
Perception of reality
Personal growth
Integration
Environmental mastery
Self attitudes

Question 3

Advantages of Jahodas model

Answer 3

It can be viewed as positive and productive
- could be seen as therapeutic goal that humans should aim to achieve

Can highlight the target areas of dysfunction that the patient can work on and improve in their life
- important when treating patients who do not possess the criteria of ‘self attitudes’

Question 4

Disadvantages of deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 4

Can be viewed as problematic
- the six criteria are difficult to measure
- e.g. how much ‘environmental mastery’ do we need to be judged as psychologically healthy
- model is therefore not very objective or scientific

Very few people can actually achieve all of the six criteria at any one time
- therefore many of us would be classed as abnormal