PP- Deviation from ideal mental health Flashcards
What is a definition of abnormality?
Deviation from ideal mental health.
What does deviation from ideal mental health mean?
- Deviation from ideal mental health is a definition of abnormality which suggests that abnormal behaviour should be defined by the absence of particular ideal characteristics.
How many criterias are needed in order for a person to have a positive mental health?
6
Who proposed these 6 criterias?
Marie Jahoda
If all 6 criteria are not fulfilled, then the person would be classed as ______
Abnormal
What acronym is useful for remembering the six criteria?
APPIES
What are the six criterias?
1) AUTONOMY- The degree to which an individual is independent of social influences and can make their own decisions.
2) PERCEPTION OF REALITY- A prime factor whereby mentally healthy people do not distort their perception of reality. They are not too pessimistic or optimistic. They show signs of empathy and social sensitivity to others.
3) PERSONAL GROWTH- The extent of an individuals growth, development or self actualisation. Becoming the type of person that you aim to be.
4) INTEGRATION- The person must be able to cope well with stressful situations and anxiety provoking situations.
5) ENVIRONMENTAL MASTERY- The extent to which an individual is successful and well adapted. It includes the ability to love, adequacy at work and play and good interpersonal relations.
6) SELF ATTITUDES- High self esteem and a strong sense of identity.
What the advantages of “Deviation from mental health” as a definition of abnormality?
1) A strength of Jahoda’s model is that it can be viewed as being positive and productive.
- It focuses on the ideal or optimal criteria that we should all aim and strive for in order to be psychologically healthy.
- It could be seen as a therapeutic goal that all humans should thrive for and aim to achieve.
- Self actualisation is a positive trait that every human should try to accomplish if possible.
2) Deviation from ideal mental health has the advantage that it can highlight and target areas of dysfunction that the patient can work on and improve in their life.
- This can be very important when treating different types of disorders, e.g people who do not possess the criteria of “self attitudes” might be showing signs of depression.
- This can therefore highlight the area of dysfunction to both the patient and the psychologist.
What the disadvantages of “Deviation from mental health” as a definition of abnormality?
1) Deviation from ideal mental health can be viewed as problematic.
- The six criteria are based on abstract concepts and ideals, and are difficult to define and measure.
- The model is not very objective or scientific.
2) Deviation from ideal mental health is problematic in the fact that very few people can actually achieve all of the six criteria at any one time.
- Therefore many of us would be classed as abnormal; and we could argue that it would be “normal” to be “abnormal”.
- To sustain and meet all of the 6 criteria at any one time could be deemed as quite impossible, and very hard to meet.
3) The criteria used to judge ideal mental health are subject to cultural relativism (differences across cultures) and should not be used to judge different cultures or sub-cultures.
- Collectivist cultures (e.g. India and Japan) emphasise communal goals and regard autonomyas undesirable, unlike individualistic cultures(e.g. USA and Germany).
- Therefore people from these collectivist cultures may be seen as abnormal using the criteria laid down in this definition
