deviation from ideal mental health

• rather than defining what is abnormal, we define what is normal/ideal and anything that deviates from this is regarded as abnormal.

  this requires to decide on what we consider necessary to mental health
• jahoda (1958)


  suggested that ideal mental health characteristics include:

  1. positive view of self
  2. capability for growth and development
  3. autonomy and independence
  4. accurate perception of reality
  5. positive friendships and relationships
  6. environmental mastery - able to meet varying demands of day-to-day situations eg. stress
• 1. positive view of self

  high self esteem, strong sense of identity
• 2. capability for growth and development

  personal growth, mentally healthy, integration - cope with stress
• 3. autonomy and independence


  autonomy - free of social influences
• 4. accurate perception of reality

  do not distort perception of reality, instead demonstrate empathy and social sensitivity
• 6. environmental mastery


  degree to which someone is successful, able to love, perform adequately at work
• where have we seen terms like these before? which approach? which theory?

  humanistic approach

  maslow's hierarchy of needs:

  • seek to have our basic needs satisfied first
  • once needs are satisfied, we are then driven by higher motives
  • the highest motive is self-actualisation, where we feel self-fulfilled