Ways of considering mental wellbeing

Question 1

define mental wellbeing

Answer 1

an individual’s psychological state, including their ability to think, process information, and regulate emotions

Question 2

define Emotional wellbeing

Question 3

define High level of functioning

Answer 3

the ability to carry out a wide range of daily activities, attend to selfcare, maintain interpersonal relationships and demonstrate resilience in the face of everyday challenges

Question 4

define Life stressor

Answer 4

an everyday or conceivable event, such as a relationship breakdown, work challenge or failing a test

Question 5

define Mental disorder

Question 6

define Mental health and wellbeing

Answer 6

a beneficial emotional state in which a person realises their abilities, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively and contributes to their community

Question 7

define Mental health problem

Question 8

define Mentally healthy

Answer 8

the state of not having difficulty with everyday activities and displaying resilience

Question 9

define Resilience

Answer 9

the ability to recover from adversity

Question 10

define Social wellbeing

Question 11

define Wellbeing

Answer 11

a complex combination of a person’s physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual health that is linked to happiness and life satisfaction

Question 12

explain mental wellbeing

Answer 12

• Mental wellbeing is complex and multifaceted.
• It includes levels of functioning, resilience, and social/emotional wellbeing.
• Wellbeing in psychology refers to a state of mental, physical, and social health.
• Mental wellbeing involves:
  
  • Current state of mind.
  • Ability to think, process information, and regulate emotions.
• A person’s mental wellbeing can be high or low based on:
  
  • Their ability to function and cope with everyday demands.
  • Their mood patterns.
  • The quality of their social connections.

Question 13

What is mental wellbeing and what is a high level of mental wellbeing?

Answer 13

The mental health and wellbeing of an individual falls on a spectrum, or continuum, from high to low. Each person is at a unique point on the spectrum, or continuum, and this will change throughout their life, depending on the experiences they have and their resilience – their ability to cope with their experiences including adverse ones.

Question 14

Mentally healthy people also:

Answer 14

• have a high level of functioning
• manage their feelings and emotions (high level of emotional wellbeing)
• can form positive relationships with others (high level of social wellbeing)
• cope with the normal stresses that arise every day; that is, they have the resilience to cope with and manage change and uncertainty
• think logically and problem solve
• have reasonable levels of confidence in their abilities and self-esteem

Question 15

People who are considered to have a high level of mental wellbeing have a range of characteristics, including

Answer 15

• a high level of functioning
• social and emotional wellbeing
• resilience to life stressors

Question 16

define level of functioning

Answer 16

the degree to which an individual can complete day-to-day tasks in an independent and effective manner

Question 17

To determine if someone is mentally healthy, key considerations include:

Answer 17

• What is a high level of functioning?
  
  • How can someone assess their level of functioning?
  • Is there a tool to assess functioning across different cultures and settings?

Question 18

The World Health Organization (WHO) developed the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) to measure functioning across six life domains:

Answer 18

• Cognition: understanding and communicating.
  
  • Mobility: moving and getting around.
  • Self-care: hygiene, dressing, eating, staying alone.
  • Getting along: interacting with other people.
  • Life activities: domestic responsibilities, leisure, work, school.
  • Participation: joining in community activities.

Question 19

WHODAS 2.0 is a 36-item questionnaire for adults (18+), scored as follows:

Answer 19

• 0 = no difficulty
  
  • 1 = mild difficulty
  • 2 = moderate difficulty
  • 3 = severe difficulty
  • 4 = extreme difficulty or unable to do.

Question 20

A mentally healthy person typically demonstrates high functioning in areas such as

Answer 20

• Activities of daily living: self-care, personal hygiene.
  
  • Work settings: productivity, meeting targets.
  • School settings: participation, getting along with others.
  • Interpersonal relationships: maintaining friendships and relationships.

Question 21

High levels of functioning
- Individuals with high levels of functioning may:

Answer 21

• carry out basic everyday tasks, such as maintaining personal hygiene and dressing appropriately
• be productive in completing daily tasks
• set goals and take steps towards achieving them
• be independent
• adapt to changes in the environment

Question 22

Low levels of functioning
- Individuals with low levels of functioning may

Answer 22

• struggle to carry out basic tasks, such as maintaining personal hygiene and dressing appropriately
• feel uncharacteristically lethargic or tired and thus be unproductive in achieving tasks
• lack direction or be able to set goals in life
• be unable to cope with changes in the environment

Question 23

explanation on levels of functioning

Answer 23

• Independence in day-to-day tasks is relevant only if a person is physically and developmentally capable.
• People with disabilities may need assistance with tasks but can still have high levels of mental wellbeing.
• High mental wellbeing means successfully meeting daily demands and flourishing, even with assistance.
• A low level of functioning occurs when someone cannot meet daily demands, e.g., not getting ready for work due to lack of motivation.
• Low functioning can lead to feelings of hopelessness, reduced self-belief, and lower mental wellbeing.
• A person’s ability to engage in daily tasks (e.g., preparing food, dressing) is a key indicator of mental wellbeing.
• Consistent inability to meet daily demands may signal low mental wellbeing.

Question 24

Individuals with high levels of resilience may

Answer 24

• seek solutions to problems
• use appropriate coping strategies
• be flexible in changing circumstances
• be optimistic and hopefu

Question 25

Individuals with low levels of resilience may

Answer 25

• experience enduring feelings of being overwhelmed when problems arise
• rely on unhealthy or unhelpful coping strategies
• be unable to adapt to change
• lack hope and optimism

Question 26

A high level of resilience is a feature of an overall positive state of mental wellbeing because it can be a result of, or lead to, an individual having

Answer 26

• high self-esteem
• more confidence in carrying out tasks
• increased coping flexibility, which enables them to adjust coping strategies to a range of stressors

Question 27

explanation on resilience

Answer 27

Resilience doesn’t mean life is without difficulty or distress, nor that one is always happy.
- High resilience leads to mental wellbeing by allowing effective responses to stressors, overcoming or adapting to them.
- Resilience can be taught and developed over time (Joyce et al., 2018), often through seeking social support during stress.
- Resilience is the ability to “bounce back” to normal functioning after adversity.
- Even those with high mental wellbeing face challenges, but resilience enables them to adapt and continue with life.
- Examples of stressors requiring resilience include relationship breakdowns, natural disasters, loss of a loved one, work challenges, or failing a test.
- A mentally healthy person feels equipped to cope with stressors, while someone who is not may struggle to cope.

Question 28

Key factors that promote resilience include

Answer 28

• Strong social support.
  
  • High self-efficacy.
  • Problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to plan and carry out those plans.
• Resilience impacts how stressors affect mental wellbeing, and many resilience factors can be learned and improved.